The RainbowWriters Season Seven - Episode 1-2 : The Gift Of Sorrow
by rainbowwriters
Summary: After a lot of PM requests for this series and our other Buffy works, I am beginning work on posting these early works here. Written a long while ago now, this was Kath and I's version of what could have happened in Season 7. See in story for disclaimers


COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn, Spike and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Joss Wheldon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the authors. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the authors for permission to reproduce this story on any other fanfiction site.

LOVE/ GRAPHIC SEX DISCLAIMER: This story depicts a love relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story. (Please note this may not apply until much further parts but it will be an integral part of the storyline.)

TIMEFRAME: Season Seven done Rainbow Writers Style… we are taking all that has aired up until Grave as gospel and working with what the bad evil Josh has given us… the difference WE LOVE WILLOW AND TARA… so we're going to fic all the horribleness… the theme is still "Back to the Beginning" as hinted at… but with a total focus on fixing what was done to our gorgeous lovely couple.

PAIRING: Willow and Tara… obviously!

BIG GIANT HUGE ANGST/UNHAPPINESS DISCLAIMER: So if you've seen season six… you know… ME sucks… they took us all down a road we never wanted to go… but now we have to get back… so the ride will be bumpy… but we promise this time the light… its daylight and NOT a train!

WORK OF THE RAINBOW WRITERS WARNING! … if you know our stuff you know we can OWN pain and suffering when we want too… stock up: tissues, chocolate, have loved ones near… we're going to get to a happy place but we're not going to gloss over the damage ME has done

YELLOW CRAYON XANDER WARNING: In the vein of trying to be nice… we've decided its time for Xander to clean up some of his act and take on some responsibility… no he's not turning into super Xander, but maybe a more respectable guy.

**The RainbowWriters Season Seven - Episode One : The Gift of Sorrow**

By: The Rainbow Writers

Dawn carefully took the top off the bottle and began dropping little pink tablets into each of the 'AM' squares of the seven-day tablet calendar.

"We need to get a refill on her pink ones." She commented to her sister as she put the top back on and began filling both the AM and PM slots for all seven days with blue and white capsules. It was her Sunday night ritual while Buffy made dinner. They'd decided on the calendar one particularly bad week in August when neither of them knew if Willow had taken the right medication or not. Now there was no fussing and no worrying. 7 am for the top box, the middle box with lunch at 1 and the pm box with dinner. That only left the small sleeping pills that laid claim to the 'night' boxes at the end to be delivered at a reasonable hour.

"Okay." Buffy glanced over her shoulder towards the teenager nodding. She put the knife down that she was using to chop through some broccoli and crossed to the fridge. She used the small white board on it to scribble down the words ' order pink pills' before crossing back over to chop the vegetables.

"Dr. Clabet said to hold off getting more sleeping pills till they check her next blood test." Dawn filled in not sure if Willow had remembered to tell the Slayer.

"Yeah I know." Buffy tried to take the edge out of her voice. She didn't mean to sound at all annoyed with her sister, it was just that she was so tired. She knew they both were and they would never, ever want to shirk this responsibility but that didn't mean that it was easy.

"Howdy ho girlie girls." Xander pushed his way in the back door with two large bags. "I come baring gifts." His smile dimmed a little when he saw Dawn snapping the lids over Willow's litany of medication.

"Hey Xander." Buffy watched the young man's face fall just a little.

"Now what did you want most this evening my wonderful slaying friend?" Xander tried to perk up as he put the bags on the counter. "I'm thinking large tub of your favourite ice cream." He picked it out of the bag and waggled it with both hands for her.

Buffy smiled broadly and once more left her vegetable preparation to reach out for the ice cream.

"You shouldn't have." She gave Xander a kind and grateful smile.

"Am I the man of your dreams or what?" Xander smiled back at her. "And for Dawn, I believe someone mentioned needing new sneakers for gym." He handed the other box off to the teenager who grinned as she dug into it.

She'd known when he'd carefully went to the mall with her the other week he'd been paying attention to what she pointed out wistfully as on her need list.

It was the one thing he could do he realized, after all he was the regular working Joe among them and he knew with all of them trying to take care of Willow, every bit helped in every which way.

"Don't make me answer that." Buffy chuckled slightly to his offer. "You're shorter and slightly heavier than Freddy Prince Junior." She carried the ice cream over to the freezer and put it in.

"Freddy Prince you wish Buffy." Xander teased as he stole some broccoli.

"I just was going to say but you'd do!" Buffy gave a mock scowl. "But now you stole broccoli so bad you." She waggled her finger at him.

"I'm starved." He admitted trying to gain leeway.

"Xander would you like to stay for supper?"

"I would love too." He leaned over and hugged her. Buffy shook her head at him as she closed her arms tightly around him.

It was something he did a lot lately, and though he wasn't sure he was conscious of it if he'd thought about it the answer would be easy.

"Where's Willow? She got a pressie too." He let Buffy go after a tight squeeze and was happy to see Dawn trying on her new shoes.

"She's in the back garden, on the sun chair, didn't you see her?" Buffy's eyes grew wider as she realised there was no way Xander would have missed his best friend dropping everything the Slayer ran to the back door

"Willow? " Dawn was already up and moving to follow her sister as the Slayer almost ripped it off the hinges.

Buffy didn't need to look at the empty plastic chair to know the red head wasn't in the garden.

"Where would she go?" Dawn did a quick turn on the spot.

"You guys look on foot, I'll do a drive around." Xander came out with his keys in his hand.

"SHIT!" Buffy cursed looking round wildly. "Dawn please go check in the house." She turned to look at Dawn nodding to Xander for him to move.

"She couldn't have gone in the house we were in the kitchen since I brought her out her pills." Dawn contradicted rolling her eyes but walking back to the door.

Buffy gratefully watched Dawn move back towards the house as she ran out to the main street pausing to glance right and left before taking off to the right With her fast pace she didn't even registering she still had the apron she'd been wearing when preparing supper tied loosely round her waist.

Xander's new car, a hasty replacement after the gang of roving car killers had trashed his other one as he'd told the insurance, roared to life and headed down left.

Buffy didn't have to run long she just breeched the corner at the top of the road when she caught sight of her friend. The thin, frail redhead walked slowly down the sidewalk. Her head was bowed and her arms wrapped around herself as she shivered lightly even though she was wearing a thick green sweater, grey fluffy jogging pants and despite the fact it was a warm sunny evening.

Rather than calling out to her Buffy kept running only slowing when she was close enough to catch up with just walking. Slowly she moved up to shuffle beside Willow

"Hey Willow." She said softly trying to catch downcast green eyes.

"Hi." Willow breathed out still watching her feet as they moved.

"What 'cha doing?" Buffy asked in the same loving tone.

"I'm having a good day so I decided to go for a walk." She answered flicking up to catch hazel eyes.

"Where are you going?" Buffy continued her gentle questioning. She smiled when Willow's eyes met hers briefly.

"I don't know." Willow's feet stopped and she took one last step to bring them together. "I think Dawn wanted broccoli for dinner, I could go get broccoli."

"You want to go get broccoli?" Buffy asked wanting desperately to keep eye contact with her friend, but it just hurt so much to see the haunted green eyes, the sunken cheeks and skin pulled taut over her cheek bones. "We could go get some."

"Broccoli is good for her, she's getting tall. I think tall girls need broccoli." Willow eyes flicked away for a second to come back to Buffy's. "You like broccoli right?"

"I do, even though I'm not so tall." Buffy smiled pointing to the top of her own head.

"Oh no." Willow frowned as she looked down the road for a second. "I didn't tell you I was leaving, I'm supposed to tell someone." She looked down. "Maybe I'm not having a good day."

"Its okay Will." Buffy shook her head. "You are having a good day, Dawnie told me you were helping her out with her math and talking about classes maybe to pick up when we get you back to school." She reached out slowly and put her hand lightly on Willow's arm hating the fact that she had to close her hand tightly before she could actually feel the redhead's arm beneath the sweater.

As always the hacker jumped at the contact, though as her mind filtered that it was Buffy she calmed. There were a few people safe enough that they could touch her.

"Should I let go?" Buffy asked gently her words slow and her hand not moving.

"No, it's okay." Willow shook her head slowly, red curls bouncing around her shoulders. "I don't feel like eating tonight." She admitted to Buffy.

"Just something little then." Buffy offered.

"Okay." Willow caved in. "Can we go back now?" She shivered against the warm evening breeze.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded and offered her arm to the redhead for support if she wanted it.

"Should I take chemistry or physics?" Willow looked for guidance as she latched onto Buffy's arm.

Xander looked up from his magazine when the door opened and a more than tired Slayer came in from patrol. He smiled at her and pointed the seat next to him making a small do you want a drink motion with his hand. The reason for his mime impression became obvious when Buffy came in further to see Willow's frail body curled up on far side of the couch asleep.

Buffy sighed softly and shook her head. She moved over to the spare seat easing down onto it gratefully.

"How was the slayage?" He questioned his voice in a very soft whisper.

"Heavy." Buffy admitted her own voice hushed. "But nothing I couldn't handle. When did she go to sleep?" She looked sadly over to Willow.

"She dozed off early actually but then woke up." Xander frowned a little.

"Woke up?" Buffy asked watching Xander's frowned feeling worry tug at her heart.

"Nightmare. " Xander filled in knowing more details weren't necessary.

"Oh." Buffy sighed sadly again.

"I managed to get her calmed down and she curled up with me to watch cartoons." He tried to ease the Slayer's worry.

"She likes the one with the mice, or I think they may be rats." Buffy glanced at the barely audible television.

"Oh yeah Pinky and the Brain." He smiled. "I'm Pinky."

Buffy laughed gently, but suddenly her laughter flipped into tears flowing quickly and completely unexpectedly down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey." Xander slipped over and hugged her quickly as she dropped her head into her hands trying to cover up. "Sshhh." He tried to soothe her as he rubbed her back.

"No, no." Buffy tried to draw breath in between hard sobs. "I can't cry, I can't do this."

"Yes, you can." Xander encouraged her. "Look slayer girl you're more than due." He held her tight.

"We're going to loose her Xander." Buffy sobbed harder. "It doesn't matter how hard we're fighting."

"No, listen to me we're not." Xander shook his head his own voice tighter.

"Look at her Xander." Buffy looked up with her tear stained cheeks pale.

"Remember before when she wouldn't even talk, when she couldn't even stand up." He didn't look over his shoulder he didn't need too. "She's so much better and she'll get even better its just going to take time."

"How much time?" Buffy shook her head and wiped at her cheeks. "Do you know what day it is tomorrow?"

"It's Monday." Xander looked at her. "And whether it's a good Monday or a bad Monday we'll be here for her."

"It's three months." Buffy made a little clearer.

"Yeah I know." He breathed out sharply through his nose.

"Do you think she does?" Buffy whispered blinking up at Xander.

"I don't know, she never mentioned it." Xander held the Slayer's eyes. "But you know how that big brain of her snaps to life sometimes. We might have to be ready for a hard week."

"She doesn't want to be here Xander." Buffy shook her head again.

"Since when?" Xander looked at her a bit shocked. "You're like our secret Willow weapon, you know that."

"What do you mean?" Buffy frowned softly

"She calms when you're around." He rubbed his hand over Buffy's. "Remember when she tried to tear apart the bathroom? Who got her to stop with a few words?"

"No, she calms when you're around, she just gives in to me. It's because she knows if I wanted to I could force her to do stuff." Buffy shook her head strongly.

"Buffy, this has nothing to do you with you forcing her to do anything." His voice rose for the first time above a whisper as he tried to make the Slayer understand. Buffy sighed hard with her shoulders slumped forward. "If she was afraid of you she'd be crawling the walls screaming, we both know that, we've seen her do that." He countered the noise. "You are essential to helping Willow get better."

"Do you think she will ever get better?" Buffy narrowed her eyes a little asking for an honest answer.

"I don't know." He slumped a little. "Sometimes I look at her and think yeah there she is, just come a bit further and then sometimes..." He looked back. "Its like she's lost in there somewhere and I don't know where to find her."

"I can't imagine how she feels inside." Buffy shook her head.

"The Doc told me it's not important that we even understand what it is she feels. What's important is that we love her and expect her to get better." Xander rubbed her hand again. "We have to help her believe she can get better."

"How was Dawn this evening?" Buffy suddenly changed the subject, brushing the fresh tears off her cheeks and sitting up a little straight on the chair.

"Dawnie was great." Xander leaned back and perched on the edge of the coffee table. "Her and Willow did manicure night. See I'm going to be the only construction worker with French tips." He held up his hand and laughed. "She slept through the nightmare so I didn't wake her."

Buffy laughed momentarily as she looked at his finely done nails.

"I came in and found her crying on Friday." She lost her smile instantly.

"What happened Friday?" Xander racked his brain not remembering any great incident on that day.

"Nothing, as far as I can tell. She wouldn't say what was wrong." Buffy explained. "Everything is falling apart Xander." The Slayer's bottom lip began to tremble again.

"I know we discussed it before and you wanted to wait but do you want me to move into the basement?" He offered reaching back to get her a tissue.

"Would you?" Buffy couldn't find anything in her to object to or turn down Xander's soft offer.

"Buffy I'm here most of the time anyway, I mean as long as you don't mind having me around and that I can't cook to save my life." He smiled softly. "The lease is up on the apartment soon, it works out since I'll be homeless."

"Get up, come on… get up!" Buffy kicked out at the headless straw filled dummy on the floor of the training room, sending more straw spilling out of the hole left by the recent decapitation. "Get up and fight you bastard!" Jumping down to straddle the dummy Buffy rained heavy punches down on the straw stuffed chest over and over before slowing and leaning back to drop the short distance to the floor trying to even out her ragged breathing.

"I believe that you have managed to punch the stuffing out of him."

A soft voice spoke in an even unthreatening tone from the doorway to the training room.

Literally jumping from the floor to the balls of her feet ready to attack in an instant Buffy glared at the intruder, only stalling a little when she caught eyes with who stood there. To Buffy's obvious surprise it was a girl who stood framed in the doorway.

'Well not a girl.' Buffy's mind corrected as she noticed that despite her initial assumption of teenage youth and vibrancy in the soft features of the woman's face there was age and knowledge in her eyes. Her hair hung down over her shoulders in waves of midnight sky that shined with little stars under the training room lights.

The stranger's body was petite and she was around the same height as the Slayer, though her perch in the doorway made her seem taller somehow. At her hairline down either side of her neck a pattern of intricate black tattoo's were barely visible from this angle, though that they continued down under the collar of her thick wool sweater was obvious. Her right wrist was encased in a large silver bracelet that encircled the bone so tightly it appeared at first glance the jewellery had been caste to cool in the place it now set. Her thin legs were held wrapped in a long patterned skirt. As Buffy studied her the woman's thick ruby lips curled into a knowing smile.

"I'm sorry." Buffy dropped her fighting stance a little, and brushed her hand through her sweat soaked hair. "The shop's closed on Mondays, I thought I had locked the door."

"I was really looking for information to be honest." The woman seemed to relax as well when the Slayer dropped her hands.

"Well, if its information of the magical kind you're looking for, I'm not the person to ask. If you come back tomorrow, the owner of the shop will be here then, she's the better bet." Buffy explained again apologetic.

"Actually I am attempting to locate someone." She continued. "I was directed here."

"Police stations just down a block." Buffy frowned at the woman's last sentence.

"Do you know where I can find Tara Maclay?" The stranger asked pointedly as Buffy evaded being helpful again.

Buffy's blood turned to ice in her veins her eyes narrowed though she fought off her initial angered reaction.

"Are you family?" She asked quietly. She wasn't sure why she had asked the question, this woman didn't look anything like any of Tara's family that Buffy had met.

"Yes, I am." The girl nodded. "Do you know where she is?"

"What relation?" Buffy's eyes opened slightly, but only so she could assess the situation completely.

"Cousin, distant." She filled in carefully. "And you?" Her eyebrow raised high.

"I think you should leave." Buffy said carefully back.

"I'm sorry but I really do need to know where to find her." The brunette pushed. "If you would be so kind as to direct me." Her eyes narrowed down as her words pushed into Buffy's head.

"Ask your uncle." Buffy snarled and straightened her back and turned from the woman. The memory of Tara's father's reaction to his daughter's death stinging in Buffy's mind as if it was yesterday. His dismissal of the event and then his refusal to have anything to do with the funeral had been so enraging. His deeming that his daughter had been killed by the life style she herself had chosen, nearly made her physically sick.

"_Reveal_." With a soft wave of her hand the girl whispered the word at Buffy.

For a second the room around Buffy shimmered before evening out. The move caused the Slayer to turn shaking her head at the woman.

"Don't try magic again in here." Buffy warned calmly. "Next time the rebound will hurt. Who are you and please don't give me the cousin line, I've met all of Tara's family that I ever care to and you don't fit the bill."

"Interesting." The girl looked around at the dampening spell. "My name is Madalene Slean and though you don't believe me I am related to Tara."

"Prove it." Buffy remained impassive

"How exactly would you like me to do that?" Madalene questioned silently asking for a name.

"Buffy." She filled in. "Tell me something about her."

"That would be quite a difficult way for me to prove anything to you, as I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting her." Madalene responded honestly. "Though in our lineage we share an important ancestor."

"Then I'm sorry," Buffy let all aggression drop from her body as she looked up at the other woman. "You might want to come back through to the shop and sit down."

"Why?" Madalene didn't retreat.

"Because…" the slayer took a light breath. "Because…" She felt a tear sting in her eye. "Tara was shot, three months ago. She died instantly."

"I should have realized." Seeming pained for a moment Madalene squeezed her green eyes shut and put a hand up near her heart exactly where Tara had been shot. "Did you say instantly?" She opened them again looking off kilter as she asked the question.

"I'm not sure of the exact details, I wasn't with her, but I think so. Look I think you need to sit down." Buffy frowned softly seeing the obvious effect on the other woman.

"Did you bury her?" Madalene ignored the Slayer's concern as she put her now shaking hand back down to her side.

"Of course." Buffy nodded. "Oh I'm sorry of course you'll want to see the grave." She caught up believing now from the brunette's reaction that she was a relative. "Let me get my coat."

"No, you don't understand." She slumped a little against the doorway. "How can I make you understand?" She seemed to question herself as Buffy hurried forward reaching out but stopping short.

"I know you're going to think I'm crazy." Madalene's voice shook a bit. "But we have to get her out of there."

"Oh I'm sorry." Buffy blanched a little. "Do you have a family crypt? Oh damn we didn't even think, you're on her mother's side aren't you. Damn." She hissed the curse again. "I should have pushed him, he wouldn't tell me a damn thing." The Slayer's self-directed anger was obvious.

"You don't understand." Madalene shook her head. "There is so much to explain, she's going to rise." The dark haired witch whispered the words.

Once again Buffy's whole world stopped.

"Physics is very complex and you certainly enjoy it." Anya sat looking at the large textbook in front of her. "Not that I understand any of it." The vengeance demon admitted.

"It's logical." Willow sat across from her at the dining room table with her knees pulled up. "Ask me more questions now." She prompted as she picked at lint on her long cotton skirt.

"More questions? But isn't it time for you nap?" Anya looked up at the nearest clock.

"I'm not tired ask me more questions." Willow shook her head. Her voice held a hint of agitation as she glanced up at the clock.

"What subject?" Anya picked up the book again turning to the index she picked up a little on the slight edge to the redhead's voice. They were all learning to be very attuned to the subtle changes in the hacker's mood.

"Quantum mechanics." Willow picked up the pencil in front of her and held it in her hands. "No!" She snapped suddenly. "History." She rethought what she wanted her voice tighter. "No, psychology." She changed again.

"Okay Willow, why don't we leave the questions." Anya slid the textbook away her action slow and deliberate. "We could go watch some TV."

"I need to take a shower." Willow announced as she snapped the pencil into two pieces, the noise echoing through the room like a warning bell.

"Oh, ok." This change surprised the demon. "Well Dawn should be home soon to help you with that." She thought quickly trying to diffuse what was going on.

"Do you know what today is?" Willow's voice squeaked as she asked the question.

"It is Monday, my day off." Anya replied quickly. "Which is why I'm here spending time with you."

"Everything will be bloody soon." Willow's face contorted in pain as her eyes welled with tears.

"Willow, are you alright?" Anya's frown grew deeper.

"She's dead." Willow sobbed her whole body shaking. "She's dead, she's dead." Her words came over and over.

"Oh ok." Anya's voice shook a little, mainly because she knew she wasn't on the list of people who could safely hold the redhead. Suddenly she had no idea what to do. Dawn would be home soon, but that soon was an hour and it wasn't really fair to ask the teenager to deal with this.

Willow's contorting body soon simply fell sideways, her head smacked viciously into the bottom edge of the china cabinet on the way down and a small rupture of blood started to flow over a cut on her forehead. She landed seemingly without feeling it on the floor as she curled into a tighter ball sobbing more.

"Willow, Willow stop, pills, pills do you need pills?" Anya hurried around closer to her. "Oh hell!" Anya cursed stamping her foot. "Sty there, right there."

In the blink of an eye the vengeance demon disappeared appearing the instant later in the middle of a building site.

"XANDER!" She turned around on the spot as she screamed. "XANDER!" She shouted at the top of her lungs not sure why she hadn't orbed close to him.

"Anya?" Xander's yellow-shelled head poked up out of a large whole in the ground. "Anya, what the hell are you doing?" He questioned scrambling up the side to move towards her. "What's wrong?"

"You have to go to the Summers house." Anya snapped "Now!"

"What's wrong?" His face fell and his eyes went wide with worry. "Is it Willow?" Anya nodded. "Okay, okay." He fumbled to undo his tool belt. "Jake I got to go emergency." He yelled back towards the whole and then started running towards his car. "GET BACK TO HER!" He yelled to Anya knowing she could do her zippy 'here I am thing' again. In a second blink of an eye Anya did just that.

Madalene settled herself a little better in the seat at the table and watched the Slayer pace in front of her. After her initial badly timed words, they'd taken a moment to stare at each other before Buffy had all but ordered that she come out her, sit and explain.

"I know this will be very difficult to understand." Madalene began softly trying to think of the best way to conduct this. "But as you are aware that Tara is a witch, you should understand that there are very powerful mystical forces that exist in this world."

"Believe me I know all about mystical forces, I'm living through the grief of her girlfriend." Buffy couldn't help but interject.

"Well then... I'll skip the basics." Madalene nodded seeing the intense pain that she couldn't hope to comprehend in time to fully explain what was going on here. "As I said Tara and I share a common ancestor, and ancestor who was gifted with the lineage of great power."

"I'm listening, though I have to tell you that a huge part of me doesn't have a clue why I am listening to you." Buffy admitted.

"The mortal woman who bore our ancestor was raped by a demon, a full demon that infused into her the physical necessity by which she would bare him an heir into this dimension." Madalene stood up her voice hard as the Slayer all but dismissed her. "Our ancestor in contrast was birthed from the pure essence of love, but her form was not free from the change placed in her mother." She slowly reached down and lifted her shirt turning away from the Slayer to reveal a long very thick and angry scar that the length of her back.

"I was in a car accident when I was seventeen and thrown from the vehicle. This is where the truck's bumper sliced through me on my way past." Her breath was slightly hard. She took a minute before she put her shirt back down.

"How did you survive?" Buffy had to force her mouth closed.

"I didn't." Madalene turned her eyes hard.

"Sorry?" Buffy breathed.

"My neck was snapped when I hit the barrier on the side of the road." She filled in sitting down again her voice shaky. "It took me a year to rise."

"You're dead?" The Slayer said slowly.

"Do I look dead?" Madalene snapped.

"No." Buffy admitted.

"That's because I'm not." Madalene released a long breath and calmed herself.

"You're immortal?"

"I was dead for a time, but our bodies regenerate if the damage is not too great to overcome. We are not immortal." She shook her head as Buffy tried to understand. "We are just difficult to kill."

"Okay, let me try and do a recap." Buffy took a staggered breath her mind whirling. "You're ancestor was a demon, which has made you kind of super tough and you are also telling me that Tara shares your ancestry."

"Exactly." Madalene nodded. "And when her body heals she's going to not be dead anymore. To dumb 3000 years of history down."

"How long?" Buffy asked looking up.

"Soon, I think that's why I was called." Madalene admitted. "This doesn't happen to all of us. It's a latent power that sometimes is not activated."

"Called, who called you?" Buffy frowned again.

"I don't know." Madalene admitted with a frown. "A voice told me to come here, seek out Tara Maclay in Sunnydale California. Seek her and tell her the story."

"So Tara might but she might not come back?" Buffy tried to get things straight in her head.

"If she wasn't going to rise I don't see why I would have been called." Madalene shook her head. "There is another complication." She admitted softly. "That is more worrying."

"Believe me right now, this couldn't get more worrying." Buffy admitted. "Tell me." She tacked on in case Madalene took her at her word.

"When she rises, she won't have any comprehension of who she was." Madalene noted gently knowing that the Slayer was going to react badly.

"Sorry?" Buffy's eyes snapped up again not quite sure she had heard right.

"The change within us has evolved over time such that when we rise again our previous existence is wiped from our minds, as if we are truly reborn." The brunette tried to simplify.

"So Tara won't be Tara?" Buffy frowned.

"No memories." Madalene nodded. "I know this is all hard to understand, and I could go into such detail to explain but... it all comes down to these simple facts."

"If I believe you and you're lying or it doesn't happen… I take you to her grave, we dig her up and nothing happens… putting myself through all that pain again… if I don't believe you or ignore everything you've told me and its true she's going to rise and be trapped in a coffin." Buffy shivered as her mind tried to work out what was going on. 'And I know exactly how that feels.' She added in her mind and shivered again.

"I can dig her out, you don't have to be a part of any of this." Madalene stood up slowly. "I just need to know where she is."

"I need to think." Buffy pressed her hand into her forehead as she ran her fingers along her eyebrows.

Behind the counter the phone began to ring with a high whiny echo.

"I have to get that." Buffy pointed to the phone crossing over to it and picking it up. "Magic shop." She said distantly.

"Buffy." Xander's voice panted a bit.

"Xander," Once again Buffy's world shifted.

"We have a little problem." He tried to keep his voice even. "We need you at the house."

"A problem?" Buffy felt the colour drain from her cheeks. "It's Willow isn't it?" She breathed knowing it wasn't likely to be anything else.

"Yes." He answered quickly and then seemed to have his call to Anya covered over by the sound of screams.

"I'm there." Buffy hung up the phone. "I'm sorry I have to go. Meet me tonight, after ten, at the Restful cemetery."

"Of course." Madalene followed the fear on Buffy's face not understanding.

With a nod the Slayer ran out.

Xander carefully crawled across the carpet towards the slight redhead who had effectively wedged herself in the corner behind the couch, her form almost being lost in the billow of the curtains.

"It's okay Willow, Buffy's coming home right now." He whispered to her as she wailed and clawed at the blood that dribbled down over her cheek from the cut on her forehead. Each passage only made more of it smear on her hands and shirt, which by the heartbeat was making her wail more.

"We should ring the paramedics." Anya stood a way away in the doorway and hissed the words at Xander.

"No!" He snapped at her slightly. "It'll take weeks to get her over another hospital stay."

"Xander she's not right." Anya hissed back. "She lost more weight and look she's bleeding and she was rambling this afternoon about what day it was."

"Anya, please." Xander frowned his eyes desperately sad. "Just help me calm her down."

"Don't they have any of those pills left, you know those ones that calm her down?" Anya looked around helplessly.

"In the kitchen, they're pale brown but if we can't get her to relax we can't give her one." Xander crawled a bit closer as the demon retreated to the kitchen. "Willow... please let me wipe the blood off." She calmed to whimpering a bit before she wailed again.

In a sudden rush the front door swung open and a breathless Buffy ran through like a bat out of hell. The sudden noise did nothing but scare the redhead more and she kicked out her leg trying to wedge further behind the couch causing the table to rock and the lamp to crash down to the ground.

"Anya, Xander?" She called not really seeing either of them as she stopped hearing the crash.

"See just Buffy." Xander looked up at the blonde from his prone spot on the floor.

Without stopping to think Buffy dropped to her knees and crawled into the sitting room.

"Just me." She echoed her voice instantly soft soothing and gently she inched forward.

"Blood! Blood." Willow whimpered wiping again at her head and seeming to show it to the Slayer.

"Yeah, you've cut your head Will." Buffy nodded moving slowly and carefully forward. "I can clean it up if you want me to."

"It's her blood, my shirt, her blood." Willow's voice was chilled with pain. "Help her, please." She begged her mind lost in the moment three months before.

"The best way to help her is to help you Will." Buffy said softly.

"I'm afraid, I'm afraid, I'm afraid." Willow started chanting squeezing her eyes shut as her hand reached out towards the blonde.

"I know Will, I know." Buffy reached out her own hand as she moved closer until the very tips of her fingers touched her best friend's. "Let me help you Willow." She breathed desperately hoping to reach through the trauma.

Feeling something, something safe and familiar cut through it all Willow's hand slapped out trying to find more of it.

"I got you, I got you." Buffy pressed her own hand and arm up around as Willow's reached. She pulled the redhead out of the corner and into her arms in one swift move, literally enclosing her body around Willow's. "I got you Willow its ok." She pressed her hand flat against the redhead's cheek. "I got you." She cooed tenderly.

Willow body went limp in Buffy's arms. Buffy stroked her hand over and over Willow's arm and bloody cheek, rocking the tiny woman in her arms.

"Get the medical kit." She whispered over her shoulder to Xander.

"Anya is getting her a pill." Xander filled in as he slowly moved away before getting up to get the kit.

"How did this happen?" She asked as felt Willow drop slightly in her arms moving to rest her head in Buffy's lap. Buffy let her move shifting her grip carefully so she could run her hand over Willow's hair instead.

"Anya was doing book quiz with her and then she started to get agitated." He pulled the small kit out of the desk and slowly moved back handing it too her from a distance away. "She started saying something about showering and then started crying. She tipped over in her chair and hit her head before Anya could do anything."

"Thanks." Buffy took it and skilfully opened it one handed, the other never stopping its soothing action while listening to Xander's explanation. "She knows doesn't she?" Buffy tore open a wipe with her hand and teeth and then pulled the small antiseptic square free from its packaging.

"Smart Willow brain." Xander nodded.

"Anya orbed over to get me at work but she wouldn't even acknowledge me." He added feeling helpless.

"She will." Buffy offered the young man comfort. "When you've been here for awhile she'll react to you like she does with Dawn and I. Its just association Xander."

Very, very carefully Buffy brought the wipe to Willow's head wound.

"Don't sell yourself short Buffy, she knows its you." Xander motioned to the way Willow wrapped her arm around Buffy's leg.

"Hey will, this is gonna be chilly." Buffy soothed her voice changing as she addressed her best friend. She carefully worked in a circle around the wound, starting far out cleaning up the smeared blood before working slowly inward with gentle strokes. Willow's eyes slowly open and stared out blankly as the Slayer worked.

"Are we going to have to have the furniture hard, Willow head soft talk again?" Buffy talked as she worked.

"I've called the paramedics." Anya announced as she walked back into the room carrying a small bottle of pills.

"Anya, I told you not to do that." Xander looked at her upset.

"You had no right to do that." Forcing her hand not to stop in mid motion Buffy's eyes flashed up and stared hard at the demon.

"I had every right, Willow is my friend as well and I'm worried about her." Anya struck back her voice softer than her words would suggest. "She hit her head really hard, she might have a concussion."

"I can watch her for signs of concussion." Buffy hissed.

"She's lost more weight." Anya pointed out again. "And her eyes are all jumpy."

"It's just a bad day." Buffy scowled. "Yesterday she was great." The Slayer looked at Xander for support.

"Anya please go out and tell them its all fine now." Xander pleaded with her.

"They could check her... just to be sure." Anya tried to protest and slumped. "Fine, don't listen to my worries and concern for her. I mean I might be a demon but I worry too."

"Please Anya." Buffy added feeling the demon's concern. "Anya, they'll take her." She whispered trying to explain. "I don't want them to take her."

"Okay, okay." Anya trudged towards the door.

Buffy stood silent and still for a long moment in the doorway to Willow's room just looking at the scene before her. Willow was laid propped quite high up on her pillows; her eyes a little glazed looking off to some point in the room. A neat rectangular pad was taped lightly to her head, with a slightly dark stain on the centre of it. Dawn came down the hall and perched next to Buffy's shoulder looking at the scene as well with a hard frown.

"Are you sure you don't mind me going out on patrol?" Buffy sensed her sister's approach but didn't turn away.

"I'll do my homework in here and the nature show she likes is on. It'll be okay Buffy." Dawn was more confident then you'd think she'd be, obviously having gone through enough of these nights. "I'll give her the sleepy pill at nine, that should put her out for the night."

"You're growing up so fast." Buffy turned her attention to her taller sister and pushed a hand up through her hair. "Do you mind having Willow here?" She asked seriously looking straight at the teenager.

"Of course I don't." Dawn shook her head. "She's Willow... we have to take care of her." The teenager frowned her strong veneer melting away. "Tara would have taken care of her."

"She would have." Buffy nodded and paused. "Xander's m0ving into the basement." She said softly.

"Cool." Dawn gave a small nod.

"You mean cool?" Buffy asked checking.

"Buffy we need all the help we can get and Xander is good with her." Dawn nodded. "And I like having him around."

"You want to talk about last Friday yet?" Buffy asked after another long moment of silence.

"Not yet." Dawn was honest with her sister. "But soon... maybe."

"Ok, just as long as you remember, when you're ready you can talk to me." The blonde prompted.

"I promise I know." Dawn nodded. "And you can talk to me too." She added reaching out to squeeze her sister's hand. "I know how hard it is for you to see her like this."

"I have to go." Nodding Buffy squeezed the smaller hand I her own.

"Be careful." Dawn let go and stepped into the room turning as she did.

"I will be." Buffy promised.

Buffy pulled on her coat as she moved swiftly down the stairs only to meet Xander coming through the front door. The young man was stood on the threshold carrying a bucket of fried chicken.

"There's a teenager up in Willow's room that is gong to be so pleased to see you." Buffy smiled at the little ways he was helping. He'd arrived one week and she'd been so embarrassed when he'd discovered they literally had nothing in the fridge. A change in Willow's medication had completely tapped out her funds and there were still a few days before payday. Since then he never failed to bring food with him, his little quite way of helping.

"Hey a man with fried breaded chicken is everyone's friend." Xander grinned trying not to lose his patented humour on even this hard day.

"Xander." Buffy took a few steps past him into the night before she stopped and turned.

"Yeah?" He caught her look and waited.

"Can I ask you something?" Suddenly in this weird topsy-turvy day Buffy's mind flipped back to her strange meeting earlier. "What do you think it's gonna take to get her back?" She glanced up the stairs just passed Xander's shoulder.

"The one thing that comes right to mind is sorta not supposed to come to my mind." He frowned. "She really loved her Buffy."

"It's not supposed to come to your mind, but for me, for once, just this once, say it." Buffy encouraged.

"If we could get Tara back." Xander whispered the words almost too quietly to hear.

"Go feed my sister junk food." Buffy reached up and hugged him tightly.

"Take care of you." Xander hugged her with his free arm.

Buffy leaned up against the tall metal gates of Restful cemetery, the dark cloudless sky was lit by the usual myriad of stars which though as bright and as vivid as ever seemed to themselves be a little melancholic. Buffy laughed and huffed at herself as she glanced at her watch, her mysterious visitor from earlier was fifteen minutes late.

"Am I late?" The stranger's soft voice seemed to question at the same time Buffy made the calculation.

"Not particularly." Buffy began but then shrugged. "Well yeah actually you are." She changed her tone slightly.

"Sorry, I had some unwanted attention on my way here." Madalene apologized.

"Welcome to Sunnydale." Buffy shrugged semi-apologetically. "Are you ok?" She checked.

"I think he was expecting me to be an easy mark." Madalene nodded that she was. "Did everything turn out okay from your phone call? You looked very upset."

"It turned out as well as it could have." Buffy took a tight breath.

"Perhaps you could bring me to her grave then." Madalene pressed looking up briefly at the stars.

"First…" Buffy put her finger up momentarily. "If this is shit, turn and walk away now." She warned carefully. "Because despite not wanting to right now I want to believe you more than I wanted to believe it when my mom first told me about Santa Claus and I promise you, if this is bullshit I'm going to be pissed."

"I assure you this is not bullshit." Madalene gave her a rare smile.

"It's this way." Buffy said no more. She just eased the tall gates open and slipped through.

"Shall I prove to you it's not bullshit?" Madalene quickened her pace and put her hands out by her sides for a moment.

"How?" Buffy asked as she hurriedly led the other woman through the graveyard glancing over her shoulder.

"This way." Madalene looked up to the heavens and in a blazing movement one of the stars seemed to drop down and hover in front of them. "I don't need you to lead me, I'm close enough now." She jogged slightly ahead of the Slayer following the light as it lead her over a hill to a grove in the cemetery and eventually to Tara's grave.

Buffy stopped short as soon as the all too familiar plot of ground came into view. A bouquet of fresh white roses laid neatly just a little way from the grey marble headstone. She couldn't look directly at it choosing instead to look of slightly to the side

"The ground is hot." Madalene had dropped to her knees in front of the headstone and leaned forward digging her fingers into the grass.

"It's been a warm day." Buffy fought the wave of soul deep sadness that washed over her as she tried to fight the urge in her to turn to watch what the other woman was doing.

"When we are injured our bodies use heat to heal." Madalene dug her fingers into the sod pulling a little of it up and clutching a handful of soil. Picking herself back up she went straight to Buffy and grabbed the Slayer's hand to slam the dirt into it. "Warm enough day to do that?" She questioned.

"What the hell?" Buffy nearly toppled over as she felt her hand pressed against the dirt. "What does this mean?" Her eyes widened at the heat coming through her skin.

"She's alive." Madalene moved back and began clawing off the layer of carefully placed grass.

"Alive? Down there?" Buffy pointed.

"She might not be awake yet." Madalene flung pieces of it away.

"Shit." Buffy joined in the work slightly more frenzied than Madalene not even stopping to think what she was actually doing.

"Okay enough." Madalene pulled away another chuck so that there was a large area of dark dirt.

"Enough, it's not enough." Buffy shook her head. "I can't see the casket." She panted desperately.

"I can fix that." She fumbled in the shoulder purse she carried taking out a dark glass vial. Speaking in a strange language she splattered the earth with the mixture.

"What are you doing?" Buffy fell back on the grass panting hard.

"Do you think we can dig up all that with our bare hands?" Madalene questioned her in a short voice as she pushed up her sleeves to reveal for the first time that similar small tattoo designs ran up the insides of her arms.

"I don't care how we do it, get her out." Buffy snapped.

"I am attempting to do that." Madalene looked back at the patch of ground and started chanting the phrasing again.

It took a few moments but soon the earth started to churn and bubble as it pushed itself aside. A few more tense minutes passed before the casket pushed out of the ground.

"Push it over from the whole." The witch instructed in a strained voice.

Buffy moved instantly to fulfil Madalene's request moving it clear until it thumped down on more solid earth.

"Thank you." She dropped her arms and panted for breath. "That is much harder than it looks." She wiped a trail of sweat from her temple.

"It looks hard." Buffy had sat back on some undisturbed grass, trying to look anywhere but at the dark coffin.

"Let me do this." Madalene anticipated the problem Buffy was having and forced herself up and over to the casket. "You had to get steel didn't you?" She cursed slightly as she fought to get the seal on the sturdy chamber to undo.

"She had to have the best." Buffy stated turning away.

"Sorry I didn't mean that as it sounded." Madalene's voice was softer as she strained and finally there was a hiss as the latch gave way. Very slowly she lifted up the lid taking in a sharp breath as she saw the body that lay there.

Buffy heard the slight gasp from the other woman fighting hard in her decision to look or to not look.

"She's beautiful." Madalene commented softly as she reached to unlatch the lower part of the lid.

"What?" Buffy heard the tremble in her own voice.

"She's beautiful." Madalene appraised again. "And you were right we don't look alike."

Unsure what pulled her, maybe it was curiosity or maybe it was just hope but Buffy moved across the grass pulling herself up to stand on her shaking legs.

"How is she?" Buffy whispered not yet looking taking a deep breath.

"She's burning up, good sign." Madalene had reached into the casket. "We need to get her somewhere safe."

Buffy moved closer closing her hands around the edge of the metal. Her heart beating sickeningly in her throat, very slowly the Slayer leaned over to look.

"Oh Tara." The name squeaked out of Buffy's mouth and her hand literally began to shake as she reached inside and touched strands of blonde hair that had spilled over onto Tara's face from the neat metal clip they had had her hair arranged half up in.

"I'll carry her." Buffy said instantly as Madalene's request cleared in her head.

Taking another breath Buffy steeled herself some inner strength and moved to fulfil her next role.

Madalene stood back in the far end of the hotel room. The Slayer had lain Tara down with such tenderness that she didn't dare interrupt as the blonde worked to make her comfortable.

After fussing for long moments, Buffy actually pulled back from the bed and looked down at the sight of the blonde Wicca. Tara was dressed immaculately in a long brown and green-partnered skirt, with a lace and silk blouse hanging over it at the waist. It was cut fairly low on her chest, showing off the pretty jewelled choker at her throat and finished with her characteristic army boots. She did look beautiful, almost like the legendary sleeping beauty. Just sleeping until the right person leaned in and woke her from her curse with a kiss. That's just what she looked like. She looked like she was asleep.

"You should check the wound." Madalene instructed in an incredibly soft voice.

"The..." Buffy felt her mouth dry up as she realised what Madalene was asking of her. Forcing herself to swallow Buffy leaned back over the blonde moving her trembling hands to the edge of her top. "Sorry Tara." She whispered as she pulled the material back slightly and eased back the edge of the light beige satin of her bra. Looking carefully the Slayer ran her fingers over the small bullet wound on Tara's chest. Her eyes widening at the fact that literally all that was visible was a slightly roughened patch of scar tissue, not dissimilar to that on Madalene's back. With a whispered gasp Buffy pulled her hand back and rearranged Tara's clothing carefully.

"I wasn't lying." Madalene confirmed softly as she walked closer finally.

"No, you weren't." Buffy acknowledged. "How long?"

"That I'm afraid I can't tell you." Madalene kneeled down on the other side of the bed. "Maybe a few hours, a few days... not too long I would guess."

"It could be hours?" Buffy checked she had heard right.

"This is far from an exact science." Madalene smiled softly.

"I'm sorry, it's just," Buffy took a slight breath. "I want to be here when she opens those blue eyes."

"I wish I could tell you, I really do." The witch conceded. "It's just a waiting game now." She watched the Slayer's tenderness. "But you do have to remember she won't know you." She added in a whisper.

"That doesn't matter." Buffy shook her head. "She can learn everything again." She whispered feeling her eyes fill up with tears.

"There's going to be a lot to explain." The witch nodded.

"Oh wait." For the first time Buffy stalled.

"She does know this is going to happen to her doesn't she?" The slayer went pale.

"Is there any way she knew of her heritage and didn't' tell you?" Madalene stood up as she saw the blonde's colour dip to a pasty white, slowly she rounded the bed to Buffy's side.

"Look this is gonna sound odd but a year or so back when Tara was twenty her dad appeared with this whole I'm taking you home speech. His biggest leverage was he had brought Tara up to believe that she was part demon." Buffy explained. "You'd have to know Tara to understand this but he had her petrified, helped by the fact he'd beat her for her 'demonic' traits." She added caustically.

"Ignorance is a harsh master." Madalene nodded.

"Anyway, we have this acquaintance who can pick out humans and demons, he has a test thing he can do." Buffy continued. "He tested Tara." She paused. "But here's the thing he showed she was human."

"Buffy, you have to understand." Madalene sat down beside her. "The demon traits within us they have been filtered with human ones for thousands of years. They are recessive and aren't always activated prior to necessity." She smiled softly. "I'm sure your demon tester is accurate because until she was shot, the tiny bit inside her wasn't really there."

"What kind of traits will this awaken in her?" Buffy asked fro the first time feeling a little uneasy on a different level.

"Since I rose I've done as much research as I could on our family, others like us." Madalene leaned against the bed. "It seems to be different for each of us, our traits born out of a pool of possibilities that root in the original daughter." She looked into hazel eyes to see Buffy was fixated on what she was saying. "From what I can gather all of us practiced witchcraft to some extend prior." She continued. "My power has increased so much since."

"So she'll be a better witch?" Buffy checked.

"Yes." The brunette nodded. "That I am sure of."

"A better good witch?" She stressed.

"She could have other powers... telepathy, time control, enormous psychical strength." She went on and was stopped by Buffy's words. "Good or bad is a function of a persons motivations. Though to put you at ease there is nothing innate in our heritage that designates us evil."

"Right, I get that." Buffy nodded and took a slight breath she looked down at the bed for a moment, catching sight of the small alarm clock on the side. It was late. She was a lot later than she liked to be these days.

Buffy took another breath, maybe it was time for her to go, to try and get her head around this, if that was at all possible. She brought her eyes back across the form on the bed, smiling at the face of the gentle beauty on the mattress.

She was about to lean forward and kiss Tara's forehead and promise her she'd be back when she could, when she stopped mid lean her eyes straying to the side of the Wicca's body where as she watched the fingers of Tara's left hand slowly uncurled.

"Buffy I think..." Madalene made a short raspy breath as to her the room filled with the smell of orchids and jasmine.

"Madalene?" Buffy eased back from off the bed, her eyes wide as Tara's long fingers curled back into her palm.

"She's here." Madalene drew another deep breath as Tara's chest suddenly rose for the first time and air flared in through the blonde Wicca's nostrils.

The next second when blue eyes flicked open Buffy literally jumped.

For a long eerie moment the three women all remained in complete silence. Blue eyes slowly tracked across the room, lingering over Buffy and then over Madalene and then slowly coming back to rest on Buffy. Buffy just stared incoherently at Tara.

"Take things slowly." Madalene's voice was tender as she saw blue eyes trying to focus. "You have been on a very tiring journey."

"Where?" Tara paused, her voice tight, her throat obviously dry. "Where am I?" The question was a barely audible croak.

"You're home." Buffy whispered finally finding a voice as her eyes filled with happy overwhelmed tears.

"Home?" The word sounded alien to her own ears as she said it. "Do I know you?" Her blue eyes focused carefully on the Slayer.

"You do, its Buffy." The Slayer filled in trying to push down her disappointment that Madalene hadn't been wrong and Tara did remember her.

"Buffy." Tara formed the name on her lips pushing it out with a little volume.

"Let me get you some water." Madalene walked swiftly to the small bathroom off to the side of the room and the tap ran for a bit before she returned with a small glass. "Little sips, your body will have to readjust." She instructed softly motioning for Buffy to help her sit up, something the Slayer quickly achieved with the help of pillows. "My name is Madalene, this is the first time we've met." She explained.

Tara attempted to cup her hand around the glass, but found the direct motor skill too much for her unresponsive limbs, she frowned in frustration.

"It's okay, it's normal for things to be a bit hard." Madalene soothed and raised the glass to her lips.

Tara took a few small sips and then nodded for the glass to be pulled back her, eyes moving once more from the woman who questioned her to Buffy.

"Buffy." She said again clumsily as she made the effort to raise her right arm vaguely reaching out to the Slayer.

"Yes." The Slayer nodded and quickly reached to take her hand smiling. "Oh God Tara I missed you so much." She whispered as she felt the warm hand close on her on.

"We're…" Tara spoke slowly and a little slurred, as she focused on the hand and then the face of the woman close to her and finally on her voice. "We're…" She repeated this time a little louder. "F-F-F-Family." She managed to stutter the word not as a question but as a stated fact.

"Yes... yes we are." Buffy couldn't stop as a flood of tears slipped out over her cheeks and she squeezed Tara's hand.

"Home." Tara forced another word from her mouth before her blue eyes drifted closed and her hand went limp in Buffy's.

"Tara? Tara!" Buffy instantly panicked. "What's wrong? Did we do something wrong?" She almost screeched the words at the brunette.

"She's exhausted." Madalene reached out and put her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "She needs sleep."

"Sleep." Buffy breathed a few times "Of course."

"You can stay here with her if you want." Madalene smiled.

"Yes." Buffy instantly agreed but then realised she couldn't. "That is." She sighed heavily, moving Tara's and back to rest lightly on her chest that rose and fell with comforting regularity. "I can't." Buffy sadly shook her head.

"She'll sleep for awhile." Madalene nodded. "You can come back when you're able."

"I will." Buffy leaned in without thinking and pressed her lips to Tara's forehead. "Thank you." She whispered glancing at Madalene.

"I'll keep her safe Buffy." Madalene smiled. "We're all family now."

-x-

The sense of euphoria that bubbled just below the surface within Buffy filled the Slayer with the oddest feeling. There was nothing within her other than elation. She had touched Tara, spoken to Tara, knew the blonde Wicca was back. That on its own didn't solve things, especially as Tara didn't know who they were, she didn't even know who she was, but still Buffy couldn't stop smiling.

Slipping the key into the lock she eased the front door open, her smile softening slightly as she looked into the living room to see Xander. The young man was sprawled all over the couch with one leg hanging off the side, the other leg thrown over the back of the cushions. One of his long arms draped like his leg off the side hanging to the floor, the TV remote control loosely resting between his hand and the carpet while his other hand was draped lazily over his stomach. He snored softly over the low sound of the weather channel.

She silently eased the door closed and put the key into her pocket as she tiptoed over and switched the TV off. When Xander didn't even flinch, she turned the small table lamp near the couch off as well to plunge the room into darkness.

Back tracking the Slayer crept up the stairs, moving straight to Willow's room almost called to it by the pale white aura emanating from the plug in night-light just inside the doorway.

Her long shadow spilling over the curtains, Buffy moved into the room and straight over to the bed.

Beneath the comforter Willow lay asleep, though there was something unnatural about the way she was positioned. She was on her back, her hands neatly by her sides and her head was nestled in the pillow leaning to the right side to look out the window. On the pillow close to her head, touched in no way by the redhead was a large brown teddy.

The soft toy had a blue nightcap and a matching pair of slippers covering its furry brown feet. On its paws were small circles of felt and as Buffy eased down on the bed she leaned over and pressed a paw. A few seconds later a soft soothing music took away the deep silence around them.

"Hey Willow." She whispered nowhere near loud enough to wake the redhead from her drug induced sleep. She moved her hand and straightened the comforter at her friend's chin. "I know…" She said moving her hand from the cotton to brush over limp red hair. "That these months have been so hard." Buffy heard her own voice crack as she whispered to her friend. The hard mask of slumber forced over Willow's face seemed to soothe just a bit as the Slayer made her presence known.

"And I know just being here, just breathing has been nearly impossible." Buffy made the stroking motion over Willow's hair rhythmic as she continued. "And I know that that heart of yours, is in a million pieces. But I promise you things will get better." Her voice lost its waiver as she made the vow.

"You shouldn't say that." Dawn's sad voice countered from the doorway behind them.

Buffy's hand stopped mid stroke and the Slayer turned her upper body and looked over to the door.

"You should be asleep." She said quietly.

"And Tara should be here right now but we don't get what we want do we." Dawn snapped even though her voice was barely audible.

Buffy slowly pulled her hand back and leaned forward pressing her lips against Willow's forehead.

"I love you Willow." She said before easing off the bed and walking to the door motioning for Dawn to back up. The teenager did so but kept moving all the way back to her room.

As Buffy followed Dawn down the hall she mulled things over in her mind. Walking through the door that took her into the teenager's domain her mind was faced with a few hard realities. She hadn't actually been in here for a while; they had usually spent alternative nights in with Willow.

She looked around as Dawn crossed over and slumped on her bed. Things looked similar but almost immediately Buffy noticed something new on the wall across from the teenager. She could have sworn the space had been filled with a concert poster but now the large space held only a simple wooden frame. The instant Buffy set eyes on Tara's smiling blue eyes looking back at her from behind the glass she made up her mind as to what she was going to do.

Buffy eased herself properly into the room and closed the door behind her. Taking a slight breath Buffy looked at her sister.

"Why aren't you asleep?" She asked carefully.

"Cause..." Dawn's sad eyes lingered on the picture for a moment. "I just wanted to wait till you were home." She filled in without really explaining.

"Is this the Friday thing?" Buffy pushed softly.

"Here." Dawn reached down to the floor by the bed and picked up a plastic school folder handing it to the Slayer. "I got my history paper back."

"It doesn't matter if you got a bad grade." Buffy began her caring approach as she took it only to be silenced.

"Would you just look!" Dawn snapped at her sister winding her arms around her body as she pushed up to the head of the bed.

Buffy obediently opened the folder and looked down at the grade and accompanying note from the teacher.

"Wow Dawn, I though you didn't like history." Buffy looked confused as she re-read the positive note commenting on Dawn's improvement and the teachers pride in being able to award the teenager the highest mark that she could for the paper.

"I don't, I had help." The brunette admitted.

Buffy looked down at the paper again and more specifically looked at the submission date before looking back up at the teenager.

"Tara?" She asked softly.

"She edited it for me." Dawn sniffled as she drew in a thick breath. "Willow helped me with the research." Her voice cracked.

"I'm sorry Dawnie." Buffy put the folder down and moved closer to sit on the foot of the bed.

"See that's why I didn't tell you, it's not your fault. You didn't do this." Dawn shook her head as tears spilled out over her cheek.

"Dawn." Buffy put her hands in her lap and looked at her sister.

"It's okay. It's just a bad day you know." Dawn tried to get under control as she sighed. "At least I won't flunk history this year."

"No Dawn, please." Buffy shook her head calling for her sister's attention. The brunette stopped and looked at her sister silently as Buffy glanced at the alarm clock and then back at Dawn. "What subjects do you have tomorrow?"

"English, gym, history and study hall." Dawn listed them off.

"Any of them unmissible?" Buffy continued her mind racing.

"No." Dawn shook her head not understanding. "Do you need me to stay with Willow? I can do that."

"Pack a bag." Buffy pushed off the bed. "A small over night bag."

"Why?" Dawn panicked.

"Because I know you, in the morning you like a shower and to change clothes. You'll need a bag to keep things in. I'm going to make a call." Buffy replied nodding her head as she agreed with her own logic.

"Where am I going?' Dawn protested. "I'm not leaving Willow."

"Xander's downstairs, she'll be okay for awhile and you're not leaving Willow but believe me Dawn, I don't think you'll want to come straight back from where I'm going to be taking you." Buffy stopped as she reached the door realising that her suddenness must be confusing for the teenager.

Dawn nodded feeling a bit more comforted as she moved over to pack some things. Buffy smiled broader and eased out of the room and moved to make the call.

To be honest Buffy hadn't really for thought about how she was going to do what she was doing. It had just seemed like a good idea at the time, after all Dawn had taken the Wiccan's death so hard. But now as the cab pulled up outside the second rate motel and the driver turned anxious for his fair, she was losing faith in what she was planning. Pulling out some money from her pocket the Slayer paid him as Dawn climbed out.

"Why are we here?" Dawn asked her first tentative question as the yellow cab bumped through the large potholes in the parking lot and pulled back onto the deserted road. Looking around she shifted her bag up onto her shoulder and carefully stepped around a large dark puddle. She felt cold and lost within the shadow of the bright blinking neon sign they were at the 'Sleepy Way Motel' and it did have vacancies.

"Okay." Buffy took a breath. "Dawn." She looked into her sister's eyes, the soft chocolate brown disrupted by the neon effect. "I wanted you to know something before we go in."

"Buffy?" Dawn's squeaked as she saw the seriously worried expression the Slayer had.

"It's okay." Buffy spoke quickly trying to allay the young woman's fears. "I just need to say that there are two people we're going to see, one of them will be able to explained everything." She offered quickly.

"Two people, one with the knowledge." Dawn nodded as she absorbed the barren facts. "Who?"

"Her name is Madalene." Buffy moved towards the main door of the two-storey building and Dawn tried to stop the myriad of questions that leapt to her lips as she followed.

"Ready?" The Slayer asked as she yanked open the Plexiglas door.

They were met by the instant smell of disinfectant as the motel tried to give off a 'clean and wholesome' appearance. The smell was a stark contrast to the worn pile of the ancient lime green carpet and yellow paint that chipped to show a green underlying colour on the walls. A fake plastic tree stood near the front desk, the leaves coated in dust.

Behind the counter an older man looked up briefly from his newspaper and snorted as he tapped the ash off his cigar as they moved past him into the corridor with a purpose.

"I have no idea what's going on but sure I'm ready for anything." Dawn shrugged trying not to seem to out of sorts as she took in her surroundings. This was possibly one of the worst places that Buffy had ever taken her and she couldn't believe the Slayer thought she'd ever want to stay here, for any reason.

"I'm being really odd aren't I?" Buffy commented as she led the way down the long hall the red exit sign hanging at the end as a milepost.

"Yeah." Dawn nodded.

"I'm sorry, you'll see, I promise." She swore as they reached the end of the hall and she stopped in front of a grey door with the brass numbers 131 fixed on it. Buffy pulled at her coat to straighten it almost as if she wanted to be impressive for who waited before raising her hand and knocking on it lightly.

The room beyond was silent until the rustle of a chain was heard and the deadbolt slipped back out of the doorframe.

"Hello Buffy." Madalene opened the door without hesitation, the brief call she'd received from the Slayer giving her warning of their arrival. "You must be Dawn, I am Madalene Slean." The witch had changed out of her original outfit, now wearing a curve hugging grey shirt and long navy linen pants that swirled around her bare feet. It was obvious to the Slayer she'd taken the time to get comfortable and settle in.

"Hi." Dawn waved a hand shifting the overnight bag up higher on her shoulder. A petite dark haired woman was not who she'd expected, at least not a human one.

"There's been no change, just a very peaceful sleep." Madalene informed as she pulled the door open further inviting them into the long room.

Buffy seemed to relax with these words and on automatic she reached down and took Dawn's hand leading her into the room. Dawn let herself be slightly pulled in, her eyes dragging off Madalene's small body and focusing in on the room. It had slightly newer burgundy patterned carpet and the walls were papered in a nauseating flower pattern. She studied the small door that viewed into a tiny but sparkling white tiled bathroom.

"B-B-B-Buffy?" Her voice barely registered audibly as her eyes rested on the two double beds. The figure that lay prone on the closest one making her not trust her own senses as Tara's serene face registered in her mind.

"It's ok Dawnie." Buffy whispered squeezing her sister's hand.

"No, no it's not." Dawn immediately turned on Madalene. "What have you done? You can't do this. I'll stop you." Her mind filled with horrible scenarios about raising the dead and spells and losing more people that she loved including Buffy. Who was obviously somehow under this weird girl's spell. If she had to stop it she would, she wouldn't let anyone defile Tara like this and hurt anyone in her family.

"No Dawn it is." Buffy stressed she made an attempt to pull Dawn closer to the bed not sure how else to prove the facts she'd had trouble believing herself.

"Buffy how could you? How could you do this to Tara?" Dawn wailed as she fought Buffy as she was forcefully pulled to the bed. "Not to Tara!" She tried to squirm out of the Slayer's grip but found herself held firm.

Buffy slowly realized Dawn's fears and cursed herself for not thinking about this sooner.

"We didn't do this Dawn." Buffy looked to Madalene for help. "Tara did." She tried on her own to get through to her sister.

"Buffy let her go." Madalene instructed softly her hands up in a pose of submission. She waited until Buffy had stepped back before she spoke again to the distraught teenager. "Dawn this is not what you're thinking, we have done nothing to harm her."

"This is hurting her. She would never have wanted this." Dawn bit back looking at Buffy with terror.

"Go to her, see for yourself." Madalene offered as she stayed in place and watched the teenager's feral reaction. "She's breathing Dawn and she's hot, her heart is beating, she is alive. The heat is part of healing. Healing, not any spell."

"She's dead." Dawn backed off a little shaking her head.

"She was dead." Madalene nodded that the brunette was partially right. "This is a lot to explain all at once especially with you upset... but Tara has a special gift. A gift that lets her body heal if she is not injured beyond repair, but it takes time."

"What do you know about Tara?" Dawn glared at Madalene.

"The same thing happened to me. Tara and I share a relative who was the one that gave us the gift." Madalene slowly lowered her arms lifting up the tight shirt to show Dawn where the scar on her lower back began. "I was killed in a car crash, it took me a year to heal."

"What relative?" Dawn wasn't about to give an inch. None of this story made sense, and even if Buffy had been snowed she was going to get answers.

"You warned me she was inquisitive." Madalene smiled at Buffy before she stepped back to sit on the edge of the other bed. "A relative that lived a very long time ago Dawn. A relative that neither Tara or I ever met or even knew of till we realized the heritage they had given us."

"If, if that's true, why is Tara's mother dead? Why are any of her descendants dead?" Dawn pushed not ever glancing at Buffy.

"Because Dawn we are not immortal, that is the important threshold. If you cut my head off no amount of time would be long enough for me to heal." Madalene tried to meet the hard questions head on. "I assume that Tara's mother died of something that her body could not repair. A bullet wound is damage to specific tissue, my broken neck the same. These can be fixed with time and the consideration that no other damage occurs to the body. Multiple injuries, great trauma, internal destruction these things the power can not win over. They are our natural mortal death."

"Th-Th-Then why didn't she tell us?" Dawn seemed about to steal another glance at the bed but stopped short. "Why did she let us bury her, why did she let us think she was dead?" She shook her head angrily as her focus switched.

"She didn't know, Tara would have never put you through this worry if she had." Madalene's voice was soft, she could see the confusion and pain in Dawn's face and it made her heart ache. It was hard not to see that so many people had been hurt by this woman's death. She hated that she had to be here making it worse by tearing up their lives again with this tale. "As Buffy tells me she had been taught she had demon heritage but it was never explained."

"She wasn't told she had demon heritage." Dawn snarled at Madalene. "She was told she was a demon, she was told she was evil and bad and you're here telling me her bastard father was right?"

"No, he was far from right." Madalene smiled at the teenager's loyalty. "She is not 'a demon', she is not evil or bad. In fact very far from either." She settled herself on the bed by drawing one leg up under her. "Dawn it is obvious that you are a mature and smart young woman so I won't pretty this up for you. Many years ago, a very pure woman was raped by a full demon so that he might sire an heir into our dimension from his. For that purpose her body was changed to accommodate his child. Our ancestor was born by this woman, not from the demon but out of a union of pure love."

Dawn watched the dark haired woman as she explained, feeling her anger simmer just a little as the part of her that wanted just to accept the fact that just a few feet from her Tara lay sleeping, alive and well pushed to have dominion in her mind. Questions could come later, it argued, Tara was alive.

"So you're telling me that Tara was never dead?" Dawn wanted clarity as she looked briefly to the bed.

"Her body was in hibernation." Madalene nodded. "She was never dead."

"We buried Tara alive? Will she remember that?" Dawn's body trembled again as it was horrified anew.

"No." Madalene was quick to reassure her. "She won't remember, in fact where she was kept her safe and gave her the time to heal in seclusion."

"You're sure?" Dawn demanded as she fixed the witch with hard eyes.

"The trauma of the gunshot would have triggered the hibernation. When the body goes into hibernation the mind is frozen, she won't remember being buried... in fact Dawn she won't remember anything." Madalene finished the sentence with a frown.

Any colour that had managed to find its way into Dawn's cheeks bled out again with Madalene's words.

"She won't remember me?" She felt her lip begin to tremble.

"It's not like that Dawn." Buffy jumped forward having forced herself to watch the exchange silently.

"She said it was! She said she won't remember." Dawn pointed at Madalene as she looked at Buffy. "Does she know who she is?"

"She was only awake for a few moments but as Buffy said Dawn this time it's different." Madalene looked to the sleeping blonde. "She knew Buffy was family." Her voice was gentle. "I can't explain it."

"What?" Dawn's whole demeanour changed slightly. "She said that?" Her voice shifted to a whisper.

"Yes." Buffy's mouth curled into a tiny smile.

"What did she say? Tell me." Dawn pleaded quietly.

"I told her she was home and that I was Buffy. She seemed confused and then she said my name and she stuttered family before she fell asleep." Buffy took a few quick breaths trying to keep from crying. She needed to be strong for Dawn right now, she needed to have answers or at least try to explain.

"She's just asleep." Dawn kept her eyes on Buffy. "Really?" The teenager's voice was tiny.

"I can't explain everything to you Dawn." Buffy nodded. "But I do know she's alive Dawn."

Very, very slowly Dawn turned to look fully at the blonde Wicca on the bed the bag falling off her shoulder to the floor.

"She will need your caring and understanding." Madalene encouraged Dawn to move closer.

"We chose the right outfit didn't we." The youth's voice cracked as tears spilled from her eyes finally when she let go. "Don't you think?" She flashed a quick glance at Madalene as her feet shuffled forward on the hotel carpet.

"She is beautiful." Madalene confirmed softly.

"She is." Dawn stopped at the edge of the bed. She turned fully around to look at Madalene. "Can I touch her?" She whispered not sure why she was asking permission.

"Yes, she's very warm but don't be worried about that. It's like a fever, our bodies use heat to heal." Madalene encouraged and warned her at the same time.

"I won't hurt her?" Dawn admitted her worry.

"You won't hurt her." Madalene tried to break the stalemate by moving over and gently taking the blonde's hand knowing Dawn watched her every move.

"See, she needs to know she's safe." Madalene urged Dawn over as she rubbed her hand over Tara's.

"Dawn, you won't hurt her." Buffy encouraged.

Reaching out a trembling hand Dawn moved her hand to hang in the air close to Madalene's. Slowly the witch reached out to the teenager's and drew it over to rest on Tara's.

Dawn's breath stopped in her throat as she felt the heat and softness of Tara's skin beneath her palm. She felt a soft heartbeat echo into her own skin to confirm that the blonde was alive.

"Tara." She whispered as she dropped to her knees beside the bed, moving her wet cheek to lean against Tara's hand where her own hand had just rested.

"It's going to be okay now Dawn." Buffy moved over settling behind her sister her hands pressing on the young woman's back. "I wasn't lying to Willow."

"I want to stay with her." Dawn looked up briefly from her place, not looking at her sister but looking at Tara closely for the first time.

"I knew you would." Buffy nodded feeling the tears run down her cheeks finally as she followed Dawn's gaze.

"Can I stay?" It was obvious even though Dawn didn't move her eyes that this time she addressed Madalene.

"I think it is very important she have familiar loving people around her." Madalene nodded knowing she would never stand in opposition to such a request.

"We should get apple sauce." Dawn said somewhat distantly. "Will she still like apple sauce?"

"I still loved chocolate chip cookies." Madalene tried to reassure her. "I know this is all really weird Dawn, but we're all figuring this out together. So ask any questions you want."

"I know." Dawn's tone was completely different to any she had used so far, it was assured and confident. "It's going to be okay now."

Madalene came out of the bathroom fixing the elastic to tie her hair up into an unkempt bun at the back of her head. They had finally pushed Buffy out the door an hour before, though she hadn't been particularly doing the pushing.

Dawn had kept mentioning someone named Willow, and with every mention she'd seen the guilt that crept into Buffy's hazel eyes grow stronger.

Dawn on the other hand had taken up a close position to the blonde on the bed. She carefully watched every breath, every motion that Tara made almost as if she expected her to disappear.

"Do you need anything?" Madalene asked softly as she sat on the other bed, pulling her legs up into a lotus position.

"No, do you think Tara does?" Dawn shook her head.

"She'll need water mostly." Madalene explained what she did know. "It'll be a few days till she'll want or be able to eat. For some reason the healing is self sufficient."

"We have water right?" Panic flooded young eyes.

"We do. The tap isn't likely to run out." She smiled softly. "Dawn, can I ask you a question?"

"You're sure she shouldn't have bottled?" She asked quickly not really noticing the question.

"We can get bottled when the store opens." The witch agreed it was probably a safe thing to do. "Who is Willow?" She tacked on the more direct question.

For the first time in hours Dawn pulled her eyes from Tara and glanced at Madalene.

"Didn't Buffy tell you?" She questioned surprised.

"Your sister and I have really not had that much time to talk." Madalene straightened her back as she settled into a comforting meditational pose. "Mostly I have spent my time convincing her I am not lying about all this."

"Oh." For the first time Dawn actually thought about the processes that must have happened to bring Tara to the place she now occupied, she felt a twinge of guilt and pain for her sister. "Willow is…" She looked back at Tara. "Tara's." She explained simply.

"Her wife?" Madalene questioned without missing a beat, the little they had been said about Willow made her realise they weren't talking about a child.

"They never got that far." Dawn said quietly. "I always thought they would." She admitted her own little fantasy.

"Why has Buffy not brought her here?" The witch continued her soft questions.

"She's not..." Dawn tried to answer but found her throat closing at the thought of the redhead at home oblivious to what was going on.

"I'm sorry." She frowned as she saw the teenager getting more upset. "I don't mean to upset you."

"No, it's ok. Willow was a witch, she tried to bring Tara back but it didn't work and we nearly lost her too." Dawn rushed the explanations hoping she'd manage to get to the end without losing her voice. She knew it wasn't a thorough explanation but she wasn't about to tell everything about Willow to a stranger.

"I'm sorry, I know how hard all of this must be." Madalene nodded her heartfelt sympathy.

"It's okay because she's back now and that means we can get Willow back too." Dawn shook off the apology and turned back to gaze at Tara.

"Do you mind if I meditate for awhile?" Madalene queried, as the young woman seemed to shy away from conversation. She confirmed to herself that it was best to direct further questions at Buffy.

"Wh-Wh-What if she wakes up?" Dawn's voice wavered in panic again.

"We take care of her." The witch's answer was simple. "Is there anything you want to ask me?" She offered not sure what Dawn required from her.

"No, I mean you just meditate. I'll watch Tara." Dawn shook her head.

"Are you sure? You must have a lot of questions." She encouraged.

"But you want to meditate." Dawn shrugged having grown accustomed to being out of the loop on most things.

"It's okay, I can do that later." Madalene shrugged out of the pose. "Please, I completely feel like the odd one out here."

"How did you know Tara?" Dawn asked the first thing that came to her cluttered head.

"I don't." The witch's words were soft. "I just was drawn to come here too her."

"Drawn?" Dawn asked confused.

"A voice told me to seek her out, to tell her our story." The witch filled in as best as she could knowing that she sounded crazy.

"Where are you from?"

"I'm sorta from everywhere." Madalene laughed.

"You can't be from everywhere." Dawn began but then stopped. "Oh I forgot, you died." She dropped her head feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Did you forget who you were?"

"I did." Madalene nodded.

"It took you a long time to heal. Did you know what was going to happen?" The teenager questioned.

"My grandmother told me the story apparently once when I was younger so I knew before the accident. I was buried with a letter to explain to me what was going on." The witch admitted. "My mother died during childbirth."

"So it was passed on to you by your father?" Dawn tried to understand. "Or did something bad happen to your mom when you were born?" The teenager couldn't understand what about childbirth could go so wrong that the body couldn't heal itself. Then again if she was honest she didn't really understand the definition point, well apart form the decapitation image that was clear enough.

"The heritage is passed by the maternal line." Madalene tried to address each of her questions. "Though the heritage had saved my grandmother and myself was never activated in my mother or the hemorrhage she suffered passed the threshold."

"So it doesn't always work?" This fact caught Dawn's attention.

"No, have you taken any genetics?" She wanted to know what knowledge the teenager had on the subject.

"Basic." Dawn nodded that she had.

"The trait is a recessive gene so for some reason it is not always activated." Madalene attempted to relay what she could. "It's been filtered over so many generations."

"Then it might not have worked on Tara?" Dawn took hold of the Wicca's hand again.

"We don't have to think about that Dawn, it did happen." Madalene tried to make her focus. "I have a lot of research if you want to go through it, but it's all sketchy."

"I'm not big on the research." Dawn admitted rubbing Tara's hot hand.

"Neither was I." Madalene slid off the bed and moved closer to Tara's.

"There's no chance it hasn't worked right is there?" Dawn asked in a tiny voice.

"I've never found even a rumour of that." She reassured the teenager. "Dawn I wish I had all the answers for you."

"Really?" Dawn looked up, her brown eyes wide and honestly surprised. "I don't need answers." As she looked between Madalene and Tara the reality cleared for Dawn. "Not now that she's back. Other people will want them, need them. Buffy's watcher Mr. Giles will, he'll keep you talking for like weeks." She went on. "But not me." For the first time the teenager smiled.

"I both am dreading and looking forward to meeting Mr. Giles, though why is he a 'watcher'?" Madalene raised an eyebrow at her wording.

"I suppose the British thought it was an apt name for them." Dawn shrugged not understanding the question.

"An apt name for them?" The witch was obviously confused.

Slowly Dawn keyed into the fact that Madalene really was out of 'the loop', even more than she was.

"Oh, yeah… well Buffy… she should explain." Dawn offered not sure if she should say anything.

"I see we all have our secrets." Madalene nodded reaching up to rub at her neck.

"Are you all right?" Dawn asked watching the other woman's actions.

"Just a little tired, it's been a busy day." The witch admitted. "I might need to recharge my batteries for awhile too."

"You're allowed." Dawn looked at the free bed as if Madalene had been staying awake just to watch over her.

"Wake me up if you need me, deal?" Madalene pushed up and pulled down the covers.

"Deal." Dawn went back to her Tara watch.

Dawn wasn't quite sure when she'd fallen asleep. She should have expected it, even though she was used to running on very little these days. Not that she was going to complain it was all worth it now.

A soft light was coming in through the light curtains over the far window and it urged her to open her eyes. As she did she felt sleep pushed away instantly as warm tears welled up to replace it. Blue eyes watched her, blue eyes on a soft angelic face that was now turned towards her.

"Tara?" She whispered softly when she saw long eyelashes blink over those watchful eyes in a slow motion.

"I'm beginning to believe that must be my name." The soft reply breathed out from between the Wiccan's dry lips.

"It is." Dawn felt her lip quiver. "Do you need water?" She instantly remembered that it would be the one thing the blonde would want.

"That would be nice." Tara nodded her head very slightly.

Dawn rolled back off the bed, hurrying to shuffle across the carpet to the bathroom. Catching herself in the mirror the sight of happy tears hanging in her eyes made her stop. She'd dreamed of this, dreamed of there being a way for all of this pain to stop, all of the horror that Warren rained down upon them to be over and here she was on the brink of everything being okay.

Quickly she filled up the glass and rushed back to the bed. She barely registered the other spell caster sprawled out on her bed in a deep sleep.

"Here, I told Madalene I'd go get you bottled water later." She held the glass out.

Tara made the effort to raise her hand for the glass, but finding the limb still to heavy to hold aloft a slightly pained frown crossed her face.

"I'm sorry." Her blue eyes looked down as she apologized.

"No, it's okay I can help." Dawn moved to help her drink almost the entire glass. "Do you want anything else?"

"I don't think so." Tara replied honestly, her mind was a complete blur of incomplete pictures and thoughts, feelings and fears, none of which she could properly get control over.

"How do you feel?" Dawn questioned softly putting the glass on the side and slipping down to look at Tara in awe.

"Strange." Tara settled on the word as a fair assessment of everything.

"I bet." Dawn smiled at the wonderfully 'Tara' assessment. "We missed you so much."

"Buffy." Tara suddenly whispered the Slayer's name as she looked at Dawn.

"She'll be back in a few hours." Dawn filled in.

"No." Tara closed her eyes trying to focus on something in her head.

"Do you know who I am?" The teenager whispered biting her lip.

The kaleidoscopic jumble that swirled around behind her closed lids just made the Wicca feel worse so she eased her eyes open again.

"I don't know your name." Again Tara's tone was apologetic. "But…"

She paused again, clumsily she raised her hand and brushed it even more clumsily against the side of Dawn's head over her hair as if remembering this was something she would do to the young woman beside her, something the brown haired youth liked, drew comfort from.

"Yes... I'm Dawn." Her lip trembled and the tears she'd been trying to hold down finally sprang free.

"Dawnie." Tara whispered unprompted.

"Oh Tara." Dawn didn't even think as she pushed herself forward hugging into Tara's body. She didn't think that the poor blonde might not want the contact or that it could cause her tired body pain. It was just that Tara was back, Tara knew who she was even just a little... it would all be all right now.

Despite being the early fall, the warm days of summer were still hanging on and the morning sky was filled with bright sunshine. The occasional coo of a love dove called in through the window at the sleeping figure on the large bed. Everything was quite and calm, that was until the shrill undulating siren of the fire alarm cut through the house.

Buffy snapped awake and jumped off the bed stumbling slightly as the foot she stepped on first gave way under her. She had cut the blood supply off by curling it up in the bedclothes and now she was paying for it.

Her wide hazel eyes scoured the room quickly as she tried to figure out what was going on and where the alarm was coming from. As she did another three sixty things started to clear in her mind. Willow wasn't here, a point underlined by the cotton pajamas that were folded up over the chair. The fire alarm was going off, which only meant…

"WILLOW!" She called stumbling across the bed and to the stairs calling her best friend's name as she hurried along, the drawstring of her sleep shorts bouncing all over her fast moving legs.

Taking the stairs three at a time the Slayer followed her nose to the source of the burning smell and she was almost instantly in the kitchen. Thick billows of dark smoke churned around the stove and plumed up onto the ceiling. A dishrag that had obviously been left to close to the heating element sent a large red flame up into the air.

She was almost relieved to see Willow was crouched in the furthest point away from the stove near the back door, her hands over her head trying to shield her face from the sight.

"It's ok Will, it's ok." Buffy reacted quickly to grab the mini fire extinguisher from off the wall near the window. Using the bottom of it to flick the burning towel into the stainless steal sink, she aimed the nozzle at the basin to coat the sink in thick white foam. Within seconds the flames were gone and only the heavy layers of smoke lingered in the room. Reaching over the skin she opened the kitchen window and for a moment flapped another towel at the fire alarm trying to cease the whining alarm.

"Will, are you okay?" She asked her voice tight when the house was finally quite again. Though she was happy Willow had been thinking enough to stay away from the flames, there was no way of telling if the redhead had been hurt initially.

"I'm sorry." Willow shook as she apologized and crouched down more.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." Buffy underlined quickly and moved closer to her friend. "Did the fire hurt you?" She asked still not having an answer.

A brief shake of red hair gave her an answer as one green eye poked out to look around frightened.

"Thank God you're not hurt, what happened?" Buffy smiled tenderly.

"Breakfast." Willow didn't uncurl more than she had.

"Wow, what we having?" Buffy tried to be upbeat as she moving close enough to reach out her hand to touch Willow's shoulder.

"Oat-Oat-Oatmeal." Willow shivered her voice tiny but her fear soon calmed slightly under Buffy's touch.

"Hey I burn oatmeal all the time." Buffy moved closer and slipped her arm fully around the redhead drawing her a little away from the corner. "And you didn't even burn the oatmeal just the dish cloth." She rubbed her hand over the baggy sweater the redhead wore.

"I woke up and Dawnie wasn't here." Willow uncurled a bit more as her mind registered that Buffy wasn't mad and that the Slayer had made everything safe. "Xander wasn't here and you were asleep."

"Xander's at work and Dawn…" Buffy paused. "She's with a friend." The slayer couldn't help but smile. "I was tired but hey look at you in your jeans and your sweater and making me breakfast." She tried to get Willow to focus on the positives. It was likely that later she'd have to coax the hacker out of the three or four layers of T-shirts she had a tendency to put on when one of them didn't help her pick out her clothes, but that Willow had taken the initiative herself was a great sign. "You gonna finish my breakfast?" She encouraged.

Willow glanced down at herself as the Slayer pointed out that she had indeed gotten dressed.

"It's doctor day. If I eat on doctor day then I don't have to get a tube." The hacker's mind simplified down the reasoning she'd gone through earlier when she'd woke up.

Buffy suddenly felt a hard wave of nausea hit her with her best friend's words. Since the hacker's weight had been low after her first fight against the magical addiction the rampant sickness she'd experienced after Tara's death and her own spiral into the dark arts had pushed it to a downright dangerous level.

All the doctor's harped on the fact she needed to gain weight and it had only been when one particular bad tempered physician had threaten to put her on a feeding tube that Buffy had laid out a schedule to Willow of having to eat no matter what. The schedule broke her heart cause she hated badgering her friend into doing things that she didn't want to do, but they had no choice.

"How are you feeling about the doctors today?" She asked carefully trying not to let Willow pick up on her worry.

"You're going with me?" Willow posed the scared question as her eyes flickered around the Slayer's face.

"Do you want me to?" Buffy tried to keep her own eyes still and focused.

"You always do, if you don't go they do mean things." Willow squeezed her eyes shut and buried her head in her hands. "Mean things, I deserve mean things." She whimpered.

"Mean things? Will?" Buffy moved her hands to hold Willow's lightly trying to pull them away from the redhead's face so she could try and regain eye contact. "You don't deserve anything bad. What kind of things to they do when I'm not there?" She kept her voice calm but inside her heart ached sharply. She knew the question was leading but she had to check just in case they were doing something that Willow didn't deserve. Of course if that was the case she wasn't sure how controllable she'd be.

"I don't know." Willow frowned as she blinked again her hands shaking within the Slayer's.

"Will, nothing, none of the terrible things that have happened recently did you deserve." Buffy stated clearly as she realized that Willow was confusing what had happened and what might happen together.

"I was bad." Willow shook her head. "I hurt you."

"That wasn't you." Buffy was quick to underline the fact she herself had accepted that day in the magic box.

The redhead seemed to shudder for a moment before she looked down towards the ground. Her hands went limp within Buffy's as the petrified moment passed away.

"So am I getting my oatmeal?" Buffy inquired trying to draw her out further.

"I was making oatmeal." Willow slowly looked up.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded, "Though no pressure, you don't have to finish it."

"I can finish it." Willow looked to the stove. "Am I allowed?"

"Sure." Buffy nodded. "Why don't you check how far you got while I get you AM's ready." The Slayer moved back a little.

"It's just like science." Willow shuffled over to the stove picking up a spoon. She stirred it in the thick mixture that had luckily missed being sprayed by the Slayer in the previous fire.

Buffy moved to the organized pill container and got Willow's morning pills, stopping to pull a bottle of water out of the fridge for the redhead at the same time.

"How so?" Buffy asked as she moved back and offered the small pill collection to Willow.

"The oatmeal and the water are like ingredients and you have to heat it up in order to make the chemical reactions work." Willow turned looking at the pills. "Do I have too?"

"Hey who knows after today, you might not have to take all of them." Buffy tried to be positive.

"I don't want them." Willow shook her head. "They make me feel funny."

"But you feel worse if you don't have them Will." Buffy tried to reason with her. They hadn't had this particular run in for a while, in fact Buffy couldn't clearly remember when the last time they had was.

"My head hurts." Willow took the pills with a frown and chugged them down with the water.

"Well you did try head butting the china cabinet Will." Buffy looked past the redhead for a second. "Why don't you just sit down on a stool for a sec, let me take a look at you." She nodded to one of the high stools.

"Why would I head butt a china cabinet?" Willow questioned obviously not remembering the episode as she did what Buffy wanted and sat down.

"Personally I think its cause you hate that little frog ornament in it." Buffy chuckled slightly as she carefully eased back the micropore tape from off Willow's skin. "This might hurt." She added in a hushed tone as she eased the dressing back.

"Owwww." Willow squinted as the tape peeled back off her head, she banged her feet against the stool.

"Sorry." Buffy sucked in air through her teeth. "I'm gonna get a clean dressing." She put the old one behind her on the work surface and moved to get the kit.

Willow stayed kicking her feet lightly against the wooden legs of the stool her eyes glazed over a bit. Buffy rummaged around the kit just getting what she needed before crossing back to her friend.

"Okay so again with the possible stinging." Buffy ripped open an antiseptic wipe. Ever so tenderly she cleaned up the wound again, happy that the fairly jagged cut had sealed together nicely with minimum leaking.

"Oww." Willow bit her lip making the small noise.

"Sorry." Buffy whispered again finishing up with the wipe. She opened a small self-adhesive dressing and pressed it over the wound. "It looks great Will, healing like a true Scooby."

"You do that good." For a moment Willow's voice filled out to what could only be described as a 'normal' Willow voice, full of intelligence and quirkiness.

Buffy beamed as she collected the garbage in her hand.

"Hey I have to learn something after all this time. After all I still can't do oatmeal." Buffy laughed as she went to get them bowels.

Tara became more aware of the individual powers involved to move each of her fingers as she drew them slowly over and over through the long dark hair that covered the cotton sheet over her lap. The whole arm still felt heavy and somehow 'not hers' exactly but at least each finger now worked. The same couldn't be said for her left arm though. It still felt numb and heavy. A feeling that cascaded to envelope a large part of her left side.

Tensing her shoulders slightly Tara leaned back into the large mound of pillows that propped her into a semi upright position on the bed.

"The muscles will wake up slowly, don't be scared." Madalene's voice soothed and ended the silence in the room. She was tucked up into a tight meditational pose on the other bed. "When you feel a bit stronger we can start exercises to help expedite the process."

"It's strange I think I should be scared." Tara actually moved her gaze from off the sleeping teenager that was laid curled up beside and across her lap. "I mean I can't feel most of my left side and my head looks like a piece of modern art from the inside. I don't know who I am. I'm with someone who tells me they don't know me and a very sweet young girl who seems convinced that she does know me." She paused briefly still looking at Dawn. "I look at her lovely brown eyes, stroke her silky brown hair, and I feel something but I don't know what or why."

"If it is any consolation you shouldn't remember anything." The witch admitted. "It seems the tie you hold with these people is very deep."

"I'm sorry I don't mean to sound horrible but what are you talking about? You keep using words like 'should' and 'this will happen' and 'in a while'. What's happening to me?" Tara shifted her head as best she could to look at Madalene.

"You came back from the dead." Madalene whispered her eyes soft.

Up until that moment Tara's cheeks had held a slight red tinge but as she realized what she was being said the colour drained instantly.

"I'm s-s-sorry, what did you say?" Tara whispered her voice shaking her hand stopped its move through Dawn's hair.

"Don't be afraid." Madalene moved over closer. "I know the panic you feel right now, but nothing that has happened is unnatural or wrong. It is your birthright."

"If I was dead and now I'm back, it's wrong." Tara looked up meeting Madalene's eyes. She shook her head desperately trying to make her legs move.

"Then we're both wrong and I don't feel wrong." Madalene put a hand on Tara's shoulder. "And if it is wrong then our family has been wrong for thousands of years."

"Family?" Tara frowned harder the expression pulling at the corners of her tired jaw. "You said you don't know me. How can you be family?" She could feel her body break into a light panicked sweat.

"Distant cousin." Madalene reached to the side table and picked up a towel to dab Tara's forehead. "I've had all this happen to me Tara that's why I came to you. To help you understand."

"Had what happen?" Tara asked not having the strength to move away from the towel or the comfort it brought as it wiped the hot sweat from her skin.

"The healing." Madalene made sure her voice never went above a gentle purr. "We need you to focus on gathering your strength. Then I can explain everything."

"Tell me something." Tara dropped her gaze to the teenager who still managed to be asleep on her lap. Madalene pulled back the towel and waited for her to continue. "Dawnie, Buffy…" She said the only other two names she knew. "Did they know that I was going to do this?"

"They thought they had lost you forever." She shook her head.

"And I shouldn't remember them." Tara asked for the clarification her voice loaded with confusion and sadness.

"As part of the healing you shouldn't." Madalene knew that with the jumbled state of her mind this was more than too much for Tara to understand. "The healing has evolved over time to take our memories from us so that we don't remember what we have gone through. In the beginning the person would remember everything accept being in hibernation."

"I see." Tara's voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper. "How long have I been gone from them?"

"Just three months." Madalene knew she couldn't hide anything from the blonde if she wanted her to fully recover.

"You're wrong." Tara's tone suddenly changed, as did the look in her blue eyes.

"Wrong about what?" Madalene's brow furrowed.

"You said nothing was wrong." Tara shook her head again. "But something is wrong."

"What?" Madalene leaned in concerned. "Is there pain? Do you need something?"

Tara closed her eyes momentarily trying to listen to Madalene's voice.

"Yes, yes there is pain." Tears sprung instantly to her blue eyes and she squeezed them tighter to make small tears pool at the outer corners.

"Where?" The witch felt her stomach tie into a knot. She should have insisted that Buffy give them time, letting Dawn see her was a complete mistake. There was too much overload going on and it wasn't helping anyone.

"Such pain." Tara's face crumpled into a visage of anguish and desperation as tears fell hot and fast down her cheeks.

"Please tell me." Madalene moved slightly sideways down to her knees beside the bed. "I'll do what I can."

"I don't know." Tara admitted grimacing more as flair after flair of pain shot through her.

"Where does it start?" Madalene reached up softly putting her hands on Tara's arm.

Pushing her leg down into the bed sharply in an attempt to tense herself and pinpoint the pain inside her, Tara knocked Dawn off of her and nearly sent the dozing teenager toppling to the floor

"Tara?" Dawn's voice automatically called for the blonde as she landed on her hands and knees on the floor. Her disheveled head poking back up with a scared wild look on her face.

'Please tell me what is it.' Madalene narrowed her eyes and pushed her thoughts into Tara's cloudy head. It was a difficult thing to try with Tara only awake for a few hours but she knew that if she could reach her the closeness might bring comfort.

"I can't." Tara's reply was tiny as the blonde shook her head reeling from the resounding sound of Madalene's voice inside her thoughts.

"Madalene what's wrong?" Dawn pushed up further.

'You can control it, think of it as a radio. You can tune in what you want and turn down the volume.' She tried to offer guidance as she held a hand up to quiet Dawn.

"C-C-Can't! There's just too much pain." Tara breathed out and slumped into the pillows unconscious.

"Tara." Dawn pushed herself up onto her knees more or less throwing herself towards the blonde. She put her hand to Tara's clammy forehead. "Tara! What's happened? What's wrong with her?" She turned with wild scared brown eyes to Madalene demanding instant answers.

"She needs time." Madalene breathed out hard as she pushed off her knees and went to wet the towel she'd been using to mop Tara's forehead.

"What do you mean needs time? She's in pain, she said it hurt, you didn't tell me it hurt. We should give her pills." Dawn flustered.

"No pills." Madalene shook her head firmly. "This will be difficult Dawn but we need to let things settle on their own. Pills will not help."

"Why does it hurt?" Dawn demanded more.

"Look if we have to do this right now please get me the crystals out of the drawer." Madalene couldn't keep the tightness out of her voice. She carefully laid the cloth over Tara's head.

"Do what? What's happening?" The teenager slowly got off the bed.

"Dawn, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap." The witch slumped her shoulders for a moment. "Tara's body is waking up and as her body wakes up so is her mind. Now for a reason, I can't understand, her memories are waking up as well."

"Her memories are hurting her?" Dawn tried her best to understand as she leaned over and pulled the drawer open.

"Dawn have you ever watched those commercials on MTV that go by at a million miles a minute?" Madalene moved to the window and pulled the darker blinds over.

"They make me feel kinda nauseous." The teenager admitted.

"Well imagine them playing in the back of your head on extra high speed." Madalene gave her a soft smile as she held out her hands for the crystals that Dawn had retrieved. Dawn handed the three small crystals over that had been sitting in an open box inside the drawer.

"Is that what's happening?" She looked at Tara's face her eyes etched with sympathy.

"Yes." The witch went to position the crystals around the room to form a triangle that pointed out the window. "I will help her focus them down until she can control it herself."

"But if this never happened to you how can you help?" Dawn didn't quite understand the spell casters logic.

"Because I am a witch." Madalene checked the placement. "Can you go on the other bed please?"

"NO!" Dawn suddenly shook her head her voice sharp and hard. "No magic."

"Why?" Madalene looked up for a moment completely not having expected the reaction.

"Magic's bad." Dawn locked her jaw.

"Magic is all around us Dawn, it is simply a harnessing of natural power." She shook off the teenager's worry as she went to retrieve another crystal from her purse and moved towards Tara.

"It's not natural." Dawn stated a thread of anger visible. "I wont let you." She stared hard at the dark haired woman.

"Dawn, why are you being so unreasonable?" The witch stopped. "Have I done anything to harm any of you? I am only trying to help."

"I want to see your eyes at all times." Dawn didn't move.

"Why my eyes?" Madalene carefully placed the small shard of cloudy crystal on the blonde's forehead.

"To make sure." She explained without really making sense.

"Sure of what?" The witch continued to question.

"That you're not going to hurt her or hurt anyone else." The teenager held firm.

"Dawn if I wanted to hurt her why would I have gone to your sister?" Madalene countered as she stood at the end of the bed and pulling up at a thin cord around her throat pulled to reveal a sliver of a crystal attached to the necklace. She tied the cord around her head so that the crystal sat in the same place as the one she had placed on Tara.

"I just don't like magic." Dawn backed away a little.

"You might not like magic but it is our ally here." Madalene closed her eyes for a moment as she centered herself and then opened her eyes again ready for the spell.

"So no one will get fried?" Dawn whispered as she finally eased up onto the other bed.

"I'm not a fan of fried, I'm a very strict vegetarian." Madalene's voice was hollow as a very soft light began to glow and interconnected the crystals in the room before the centered in on Tara and then finished on Madalene.

Dawn said nothing, she just silently watched as the witch worked.

-x-

A slow long blink of her green eyes and Willow felt the world that had been sitting in her mind slipping away. She shook her head and came to realize she was staring a large glass paperweight on the desk in front of her. The swirls of purple and white that spun through the clear glass had trapped her for a moment as she followed the twists and turns, running along the edges trying to get to the centre of it all.

She reached up her hand to her elbow pressing her fingers into the small cartoon character bandage that covered her arm. It hurt more then the rest of her at this moment, the puncture in the skin focusing down her discomfort to the tiny spot. She could feel it bleeding, feel as each of the little blood cells were forced out of the opening onto the cotton barrier into oblivion.

"Oh good Willow all done with the nurse." Dr. Clabet led Buffy into the small neat office. "I hope we didn't keep you waiting for us too long." She added softly as she settled down in her chair behind the desk and flipped open the brown manila folder waiting there for her. "Buffy please." She motioned to the other empty chair as she skimmed through notes.

She made small noises as she went through the top few pages, some of them sounding positive, a few concerned sighs and then a discontented tsk as her tongue snapped against the roof of her mouth.

"How has she been doing?" The doctor looked up asking Buffy.

"Better." Buffy said the one word quickly as she sat down in the comfortable looking chair, only to quickly discover it wasn't at all comfortable.

"Has she been keeping food down?" The middle-aged woman tucked a dark blonde wisp of hair behind her ear.

"She made oatmeal for breakfast, didn't you Will?" Buffy glanced to her best friend.

"Buffy can't make oatmeal." Willow didn't look up from her arm as she answered.

"She's right." Buffy smiled feeling ridiculously proud that Willow had made an appropriate comment.

"Well I'm happy that your weight hasn't dropped any further, but you're still not gaining anything." Dr. Clabet flipped more pages. "You're still very low, I think maybe we should add some meal supplements on top of regular meals to see if we can't get you a bit heavier." She looked up at Buffy and smiled softly. "How has she been sleeping?"

"Well you know, she still has some nightmares." Buffy fidgeted on her chair a little.

"She's not wandering on you anymore? The dosage is keeping her settled?" Dr. Clabet put her hand down over the file looking at Buffy solely for the moment.

"No, no more wandering." The Slayer enthusiastically acknowledged.

"Good." She nodded. "I know you were concerned about the dosage being so high Buffy but fundamentally we need to take small steps here and ensuring she has a good restorative nights sleep is one of the most important."

"No, I understand that." Buffy nodded as she glanced up at the doctor.

"Willow and I have had a good chat today, haven't we Willow?" She addressed the redhead softly and green eyes looked up briefly. "I only had one concern that she didn't seem to be able to explain." She looked back at Buffy. "How did she injure her head?"

"She fell, and hit it on a cabinet." Buffy said with a small shrug. "She only did it yesterday." The Slayer felt the tension creep into her shoulders.

"These things happen." Dr. Clabet nodded. "Well I checked it out and re-bandaged it." She picked up the thick pad on her desk and began scribbling.

"It's ok isn't it?" Buffy questioned worried that the doctor had gone to all that trouble.

"It's fine, I'll give you an antibiotic cream that you can use to help it heal." The doctor didn't look up from the pad. "I'm going to up the dosage of the anti-depressant a little as well, you can use up what you have at home by giving her two pills at that dosage in the morning but it will be one of these when you fill them." She pulled off the script and laid it on the far side of the desk next to the Slayer.

"Up the dosage." Buffy stared at the Doctor. "Why are we upping things?" She asked leaning forward a little her face a hard frown.

"Buffy as I explained to you originally the anti-depressants are such that we will need to fine tune the dosage. We have gotten considerable results from the last change in medication and I'm hoping with a more stronger infusion we'll be able to alleviate some of the depressive symptoms she is experiencing." Dr. Clabet tried to be reassuring.

"But she doesn't like them." The Slayer hissed leaning closer her voice low.

"Willow..." The doctor called for the redhead's attention and waited the long moments till the redhead looked up. "Would you mind waiting in the outer room for Buffy while we talk?"

Willow instantly looked at the Slayer before she answered. Buffy gave her best friend a warm assuring smile and a nod. Slowly Willow extracted herself from the chair and shuffled outside.

"Buffy..." Dr. Clabet waited until the door clicked closed. "I know you are concerned but I assure you none of my patients nor I enjoy the medication. That does not negate the necessity of it."

"But we're the ones who have to get her to take them, she doesn't like them." Buffy replied glancing between the closed door and the doctor opposite her.

"I hate to play trump card on you here but this was our agreement." Dr. Clabet's voice was sad. "If you are unable to ensure that she will remain under doctor's care then I will be forced to readmit her."

"No!" Buffy pushed herself out of the chair. "She doesn't belong in a hospital. She belongs at home."

"Buffy, please believe me I am amazed at what you have accomplished already." Dr. Clabet didn't stand letting the blonde take the position of authority looking down at her. "When I first met Willow her psychotic split was so severe I doubted we'd ever break the catatonia let alone push through enough to begin focusing on the other root problems."

"There is only one root problem, the love of her life was shot in front of her and died in her arms." Buffy summed up.

"Grief is a powerful force." Dr. Clabet nodded. "Okay how's this..." She saw the pain and anguish in Buffy's face and took a slow breath. "Keep her on the dosage she is on now for a week, I'll reassess her then but if she's not responding more we'll have to up the dosage agreed?"

"Thank you." Buffy let a tight breath ease out from her lungs. "She's going to be okay Doctor I know she is."

"I really am not trying to be the bad guy here, I just want to do what is best for Willow." Dr. Clabet smiled at the young woman's conviction.

"I know." Buffy moved to the chair that willow had been sitting in, and picked up the jacket that the redhead had left behind. "I really do mean it when I say thank you." She added looking back.

"Don't forget the extra supplements." The doctor nodded again with a wider smile. "I want her up at least a pound."

"I won't and she will we'll even aim for a pound and a half." Buffy smiled. "Can I take her home now?"

"I think the nurse convinced her she should have ice cream for being good about the needle." Dr. Clabet winked and went back to putting notes in Willow's file.

"So same time next week." Buffy checked as she moved to the door.

"Same time." The doctor nodded. "Have a good week."

Dawn carefully ran the cord of the ancient phone under the small space under the bathroom door and maneuvered her way in so she could shut it. This was the only privacy she could attempt in the cramped quarters, other than asking Madalene to go outside but the strange witch didn't seem too interested in breaking the spell she'd been doing most of the day now.

"Buffy?" She questioned in a hushed voice to make sure the Slayer was still there.

"Still here, what were you doing?" Her sister's voice came through loud and clear.

"Moving into the bathroom." Dawn explained as if it was the most obvious thing. "I think you need to come back to the hotel." She stated firmly.

"Just what I was thinking." Buffy agreed instantly. "Well actually no I was just thinking that you need to come here."

"I can't, I can't leave Tara with that weirdo." Madalene hissed as she turned further from the door.

"Dawn, its Tuesday." Buffy disregarded her sister's words. "You need to be home."

"It's Tuesday?" Dawn stopped questioning for a moment. "Oh my God." She looked at the silver and pink dial of her watch. "The Disney Family Movie of the week is on in an hour." Since they'd gotten Willow home from the hospital they'd always gathered on Tuesday nights to watch the Disney movie.

"Exactly." Buffy confirmed the teenager's thoughts.

"But... but Tara woke up." Dawn's voice wavered as she tried to fight against the two things that were pulling her to opposite places. "She knew I was Dawnie."

"Oh." Buffy went quiet for a second, as she listened to her sister. "Did she?" Her voice went tender and loving.

"Yeah." Dawn nodded before she remembered how the rest of the day played out. "But then she was in pain and Madalene is doing weird magic on her with crystals. Her eyes aren't black but does that mean it's okay."

"What?" The volume in Buffy's voice disappeared in an instant. "In pain? What happened?" She demanded.

"Witch girl said it was like things flashing through her brain on super high speed, that it could be from still having memories." Dawn spilled out wanting to believe her sister would have answers and ways to fix all of this.

"Well I suppose it could." Buffy conceded.

"You suppose? YOU SUPPOSE?" Dawn snapped at her.

"Dawn, this isn't exactly something I understand either." Buffy tried to soothe. "Look you need to get home. Call a cab, I'll watch the start of the movie and see if I can slip out to patrol early." The Slayer tried to come up with a plan.

"Fine." Dawn grumbled her agreement. "Have you told Xander?" She questioned softly.

"No." Buffy admitted. "We will, just not yet."

Xander hopped down the stairs and emerged into the living room where everyone was gathered rubbing a small dark towel into his wet hair. He stood in the entrance for a moment as Mickey danced across the screen enchanting both Dawn's attention from her spot on the floor and Buffy's who was at the end.

"Hey can I get braids when you're done with Dawn?" He looked at Willow who was carefully working on the teenager's long dark locks.

"Too short." Willow looked up at him and shook her head almost looking worried that she would disappoint him.

"Hmmm just cause you now smell like a girl doesn't mean you get girlie treats." Buffy smiled and threw a cushion in his direction.

"Hey is it my fault you don't have anything but melon body scrub?" He sniffed at himself and laughed. Catching the pillow he tossed it back at her. "Though I feel so pretty!" He batted his eyelashes for emphasis.

"And besides Willow's my personal hairdresser not yours." Dawn piped up as she patted the foot near her. "Buffy can be yours." The Slayer grinned from her place next to Willow.

"Oh great, I was thinking something in highlights and really funky for the new fall fashions." He exaggerated as he swaggered over and got hit by another pillow.

"Wait I have a Clairol colour kit upstairs, how does platinum blonde sound?" Buffy sniggered at his show.

"Okay jokes over." Xander held up his hands.

"He dyed his hair when we were younger." Willow's voice added to the conversation softly a she continued with her work on Dawn's hair.

"Really?" From her place Dawn turned to look at Willow's face.

"Willow that is confidential." Xander's eyes went wide.

"He put peroxide it in and it turned bright orange before it fell out." Willow leaned down a bit as if only telling Dawnie.

There came a short loud round of guffaws from the teenager and Buffy as his secret was revealed.

"Come on, it was the eighties. Everyone did it." Xander stood there with his hands on his hips.

"Wow Xander I never knew you were so cool." Dawn grinned sarcastically.

"Next we'll hear you tried an Afro perm too?" Buffy laughed so hard her side hurt as she watched the carpenter freeze.

"He did." Willow turned to Buffy the edge of her lip coming up into the tiniest hint of a smile.

Buffy laughed even harder and released her cushion at the young man again hitting him in the chest.

"Now that I have no shred of manhood left I might as well go make popcorn." He huffed out doing a bad pretend grumpy.

"It's okay Xander." Dawn called as he left. "Buffy used to have wear red lipstick, black eyeliner and tie her hair into bunches with moms stockings."

"You do realize now I am going to have to officially tickle you until screaming pitch." Buffy pushed over from her spot towards Dawn. "You'd better finish that braid quick smart Will." She grinned widely at the redhead.

Willow nodded and turned back to her work, though she seemed to work slower on purpose.

"On second thoughts I'll just go help Xander with popcorn." Buffy moved past the pair into the kitchen.

"Mmmmm this feels great Will." Dawn snuggled backwards. "I kinda want to undo it all so you have to do it over." The teenager giggled and leaned her head on Willow's knee.

"Do you want me too?" Willow questioned as her hand crept up to her face and she itched the area around the bandage.

"No, it's ok. I mean you're not my personal slave or anything" Dawn nuzzled into Willow's knee. "And we're missing Mickey." She nodded to the colourful screen.

If Dawn had looked up she'd have realized that Willow hadn't heard any of her words. The redhead was too busy cupping her hand over her nose and mouth and she breathed in deeply. A small animal cry broke out of her throat as she pulled her hand away looking at it.

"BUFFY!" The teenager squeaked as she jumped up and turned around.

At the moment Dawn's voice carried through the air to electrify it unfocused green eyes spun upwards and Willow's body went stiff as her muscles started seizing.

Wide hazel eyes took in the scene in an instant as Buffy hurried back. It was lucky for them the redhead had been on the couch as she was now fairly safely leaned into it, her legs out straight and her arms stuck out into the cushions. Her head pushed back over the top but the gap was far enough that it didn't touch anything.

"Dawn back." She called to her sister as she moved in closer and Dawn blinked wild panicked eyes as she scooted out of the way.

Xander rushed in after the Slayer and instantly started pulling back furniture.

"Buffy get the coffee table." He tried to stay calm as he manhandled the chair back towards the hall.

"Got it." Buffy picked up the large object and literally tossed it out of the way.

"Okay the neurologist said we have to time it." Xander didn't know where he was pulling information from, now if he'd have asked himself the question 'monkey's ass' was sure to have come up but he knew he was doing the right thing.

"I-I-I'm on it." Dawn's shaky voice noted as she held up her small wrist and watch.

"Xander cut the TV." Buffy waved at the brightly coloured dancing screen the happy Disney melody seeming more of travesty than normal. She then drew her attention back to Willow. The hacker's entire body was painfully taunt, the rubber sole of her sneaker caught on the carpet before the jutting of her leg dislodged it and it shuddered over and over.

"Damn Disney." He cursed smacking the button to let the screen blip to darkness. "How long should we wait before we call?" He went to Buffy's shoulder the helpless site of his best friend making him swallow hard.

"Five minutes." Buffy said calmly. "What we at Dawn?" She glanced at her sister.

"1:54." Dawn replied her eyes fixed on the slim sliver hand that ticked its way round the small pink watch face.

'God make her stop, make her stop.' Xander's thoughts screamed out in his head. 'I'm not a religious man but if you make it stop I'll go to church, I'll even be the little guy with the plate begging everyone for money for you. Please just make it stop.'

"How long now?" He waited as long as he could watching Willow's left hand joined in the meaningless shuffle against the couch.

"2.28." Dawn replied her eyes still fixed.

"Come on Willow, fight it." He whispered his own hands clenched at his sides as Buffy dropped down onto her knees focusing on her best friend.

"Come on Will, you can beat this." She whispered leaned in as close as she could. "Come on Willow." She breathed forcing her breathing into a steady rhythm in through her nose and out through her mouth trying to encourage the blonde into the same. On the second long breath her acute sense were overwhelmed suddenly.

"Shit." The small word was pushed from the Slayer's mouth as she forced herself backwards almost instantly her eyes fixing on Dawn. "Dawn get out!"

"What? What I didn't do anything!" Dawn panicked her voice high and distraught.

"Your hair, smell your hair." Buffy hissed. "Xander, I need something, something smelly, a wipe or… there are some baby wipes in the bathroom, go!" She barked at him.

"I'm on it." Xander tore off towards the upstairs.

Dawn stood limply and began backing away. She pulled her long braid around over her shoulder and brought it to her nose. She sniffed carefully but couldn't smell anything, just traces of her shampoo and...

"Tara." She looked up her young eyes horrified.

"Exactly." Buffy nodded concentrating as Dawn rushed to get out the front door. "Time?" She called before the teenager disappeared.

"3:55." Dawn squeaked as she pulled the door behind her.

Xander's feet thundered on the stairs as he made the return trip. He hip checked the displaced chair on the way by but bit threw the pain as thrust the pack of wipes at the Slayer.

"Willow I need your hands, damn it." Buffy cursed at herself. "Xander go check Dawn please, tell her this isn't her fault." She glanced up quickly at him.

"What the hell is going on?" Xander questioned though he backed up to follow Dawn's retreat through to the front porch.

"Ask Dawn." Buffy instructed as she pulled out as many wipes as she could and put them all over the floor.

In a subtle change the muscles in Willow's body started to slow down, the shuddering soothing to individual spasms before the time between them lagged more.

"That's it Will." Buffy watched the calming and as soon as she felt it was safe, she drew closer to risk taking a wipe and smoothing it over Willow's cheeks.

The light scent of spiced jasmine was replaced with the overpowering nature of simulated baby powder. Slowly the muscles in her body burned themselves out, leaving her head to lay limply down chin first on her chest. Hard panting breaths signaled that she was breathing.

"Okay there you go." Buffy eased really close and picked up Willow's hands in turn carefully wiping them completely with a wipe before going over her friend's cheeks and chin and forehead again "Ok Willow, it's okay." She whispered tenderly just waiting for the redhead to show her a spark of consciousness.

"Dawn what the hell is going on?" Xander questioned as they stared through the sheer curtains into the living room. He breathed a slight sigh of relief as he watched Willow's body ease out of the seizure with Buffy's help.

"It's my fault, it's my fault." Dawn wrapped her arm around her stomach and began a slight rock.

"No, Dawn it's not anyone's fault." He quickly lowered his tone and moved over to hug her.

"It is." She moved to lean in against him.

"She has them Dawn, we've been lucky and she hasn't had one in ages but it's no ones fault." He hugged her tighter.

"No, you don't understand." Dawn pushed away.

"Dawn I was there you didn't do anything." Xander let her go.

"I did, I spent the day with Tara." Dawn sobbed as she sunk down onto the porch floor.

"You're allowed to Dawn." Xander moved downwards with her. "I go there all the time. White roses that would be me, well me brining them for Willow cause I knew she'd want it that way." He admitted softly.

"No, I mean I…" Dawn curled up a little more.

"What Dawnie?" Xander's face furrowed.

"I spent the day 'with' Tara." Dawn wept unable to properly explain.

"You mean in a freaky went into the ground way?" Xander tried to understand.

"No." Dawn shook her head as she cried.

"Dawn, I don't understand." Xander watched her cry feeling helpless.

"She's back Xander." Dawn whispered her chocolate eyes coming up to meet his.

"That's not funny Dawn." He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise up.

"No Xander she is, but its okay. She's meant to be here, she wasn't ever dead." Dawn looked up momentarily forgetting the situation inside the house.

"Dawn did you hit your head?" Xander tried to be logical as the admission made him fall back slightly though he managed to catch himself on his arms before he hit the floor.

"I don't think so." Dawn replied momentarily confused.

"Then please repeat what you just said." Xander stared at her in disbelief.

"I spent the day with Tara Xander." Dawn looked at her friend beaming. "She called me Dawnie and spent hours and hours just stroking my hair."

"Tara's alive?" Xander continued to stare at her.

"She was never dead." Dawn nodded knowing for the first time how hard it must have been when Buffy was explaining it to her.

"One second." Xander pushed himself up and walked over to the pole on the porch banging his head against it. "Yeah that hurt I am so not asleep." He turned back. "How?"

"I don't really get it something about her ancestors having demonic powers." Dawn frowned slightly. "But good demonic powers."

"I am going to reserve Scooby dance for later when someone draws me a flowchart that I can understand." He crouched back down. "Are you okay while I check on Willow?" He tried to get his mind working again.

"Oh Willow." Dawn felt her lip tremble again as she remembered the reason she was sat out on the porch. "Yeah okay."

"It's going to be okay Dawn, I have no idea what is going on but that's nothing new." He grinned at her and ran back inside.

Xander felt like he was back in high school. He was sat at the dining room table, back straight, hands clasped in front... 'no sir, yes ma'am' he practiced silently as Buffy paced around.

"You can tell me I promise I won't pass out." He finally made himself say something.

"Tell you, I thought Dawn did already." Buffy continued to pace.

"I want to hear you say it." He put his hands flat on the table.

"She's alive Xander." Buffy stopped looking at Xander.

"How?" He asked the simple question knowing with his years as Scooby boy that there wasn't probably an easy simple answer.

"Ironically her father was kinda right, though not about the being half demon thing but about her not being like the rest of us, though actually, it kinda makes her more like me than I ever thought." Buffy went on a little introspectively.

"Buffy I didn't go to college remember... dumb it down for Xander." He cut through her babbling.

"Apparently years and years ago one of Tara's ancestors was chosen by a demon, I'm guessing something a little like Glory or that Lord of the dance guy…" Buffy began her explanation. "To bare his children but she wasn't exactly equipped for the job, so her changed her."

"I had funny comment but I think I'll just sit here and listen." He gave her a short smile.

"Okay well it seems that our Tara is the great, great, great, great something of not the demon offspring but of a child the woman had after having the demon kid. At least that's what I think." Buffy hoped she had it right in her head.

"But she's part demon?" Xander tried to follow.

"I guess so, a part of her." Buffy shrugged not really knowing the answer.

"Or is it like Spiderman with the enhanced abilities?" He thought for a moment. "Or is she an X-men, perfectly normal just changed." He leaned forward trying to categorize it.

"Oh now that rings more bells from what Madalene said." Buffy pointed at her friend as if he had just come up with the solution.

"Buffy, who's Madalene?" Xander cocked an eyebrow at the name.

"Oh, she's Tara's distant cousin, she's how we knew." Buffy said casually.

"Whoa you left our recently returned Tara with some stranger?" Xander stood up.

"Shit." Buffy suddenly stopped. "I meant to slip out early." She looked at the time "How the hell did it get to eleven?" She snarled at the clock.

"I want to see her." Xander moved around the table.

"Now?" Buffy frowned.

"Tomorrow." Xander looked up at the time. "You go check on her, I'll stay with Dawn and Wills. But tomorrow."

"Thanks Xander." Buffy smiled as she hurried to the door. "Oh Xander…" She stopped as she pulled on her coat.

"Yeah?" Xander looked at her with his hands stuck in his pockets.

"Its a little more complicated than I might have made out just then." She bit her lip as she looped a scarf around her throat.

"Buffy another one of our friends has come back from the dead, I do complicated." Xander gave her a characteristic smile.

"We'll talk more tomorrow." Buffy promised before hurrying out.

Madalene crossed over and pulled her long dark cotton coat from behind the chair. She slipped in on slowly and picked up her deep pocket shoulder bag. She was slightly exhausted if she admitted it, though in the short conversation they'd had seen the Slayer's arrival she didn't have the chance. The cleansing spell had taken a lot out of her but as Tara rested peacefully now it was worth it. The other vague problem was that she needed supplies in case the blonde continued to suffer but those she hoped the Slayer could get for her the next day. Right now she needed some time outside of the cramped hotel room and at this time of night Buffy seemed the safest person to leave Tara with.

"Is there anything I can bring you as well?" She checked with the Slayer who had pulled another chair over to sit by Tara's bedside. The blonde Wicca was in a peaceful sleep resting slightly on her right side, her hand tucked up under her cheek.

"No, I'm good thanks. You're sure she won't be waking up?" Buffy checked not looking up at the other woman.

"She hasn't been awake in along time and the spell I was doing to help cleanse her mind is very sleep conductive so yes I'm sure." Madalene went over the fact again trying not to be short with Buffy as it was more her own tired state that made her irritable then the woman's concerned questions.

"And the spell worked, she's not in pain or anything?" Buffy pushed oblivious to Madalene's waning attention. She knew that the witch wanted to leave but she wanted to be sure of everything before she let that happen.

"It seems to have calmed." Madalene nodded as she flicked her long hair out of the collar of the coat.

"Is there anything I can do for her?" Buffy quizzed feeling useless.

"Talk to her, remind her that she's safe." Madalene's voice was soft. "She needs all your understanding and compassion right now."

"Sorry, you need to go." Buffy apologised as she looked up to see that if not for her the witch would already have left.

"The main reason is I just need to get some air after the casting. I want to have the tools here to help her if there is more pain Buffy but one of us can pick those up tomorrow. I'm assuming the Magic box will carry basic harnessing crystals?" Madalene stepped closer to explain.

"You didn't expect there to be any, you think there will be more?" Buffy frowned and shrugged in answer to the spell caster's question.

"I don't like to be unprepared." Madalene corrected.

"Anya will find you what you need." Buffy had faith that despite being a demon again Anya was still a top notch magic supply dealer.

"Anya?" The witch questioned.

"She owns the shop." Buffy explained vaguely. "She's a friend."

"Should I mention the recent events?" Madalene checked carefully.

"Oh I hadn't thought about that." Buffy frowned again. "It might be best if you don't."

"You can always think about it. Are you sure there is nothing I can bring back for you? Have you eaten?" Madalene walked slowly to the door.

"Not hungry." Buffy shook her head.

"I'll try to be as quick as I can." Madalene pulled open the door. "Remember to lock up behind me." She encouraged.

"Yeah right." Buffy pushed up from the chair she had pulled close and hurried over "Be careful out there." She added as she closed the door behind the witch.

"Dawnie said you'd come." Tara's voice was a whisper and the blonde's blue eyes weren't open but she addressed Buffy softly.

"Tara?" Buffy whispered as if she didn't believe her own ears. "Of course." She added in answer instantly.

"Did she get home alright? I-I-I think I must have been out of it when she left." Tara slowly eased her eyes open, relieved to see that the room was dimly lit the glare in her eyes minimized.

"She's all safe at the house." Buffy nodded amazed that even in her state Tara was still worried about everyone else. "How are you doing? I hear you had a rough morning." She reached to the ice bucket and poured out some cold water into a tall glass with a bendable straw. "You should drink." She prompted holding it up to Tara's lips.

"Thank you, I don't even have to attempt to do the whole trying and nearly drowning myself thing with you." The Wicca took a sip.

"Well you know bendy straws will save the universe and my mother would be horrified if I didn't take care of you." Buffy smiled softly as she thought of Joyce. Her mom would have been the perfect person to have around now. She'd know how to make Willow feel better with just a look and she'd be the first on the list for all night Tara watch. There was a sadness that came with her thoughts but a pride as well.

"You make her proud I'm sure." Tara smiled softly as she leaned back into her pillows away from the glass.

"We lost her to a brain tumour almost two years ago." Buffy admitted softly as she put the glass down.

"Oh I'm s-s-s-sorry." Tara looked up her blue eyes sad.

"You were great when it happened." Buffy reassured her. "I don't think I ever thanked you for that." She admitted feeling so horrible now that she realized she hadn't.

"I maybe guessing but something tells me the relationship we share doesn't need thanks." Tara shook her head gently.

"You're right." Buffy released a worried breath. "Do you feel better than you did?" She checked.

"The pain's still there." Tara replied introspectively. "But it's better, more manageable almost like its being controlled by something." The blonde shook her head. "That sounded crazy doesn't it."

"Madalene." Buffy regretfully admitted the fact. "She's been doing a cleansing on you all day to help."

"Really?" Tara looked a little troubled.

Buffy wished it could be her that was helping but being able to stake a vampire wasn't helping right around now.

"It's okay... you like magic... well good magic and that's what she does." Buffy tried to calm her worry.

"You know I hear you say words like magic, and I know inside that normal people would be like, 'Magic' and frown." Tara gave a small smile.

"We're not really your normal people." Buffy flexed her jaw.

"H-H-how did you lose me?" Tara suddenly asked in a low whisper.

"You were... oh my." Buffy's face clouded in pain.

"I'm sorry, no Buffy don't answer." Tara shook her head her eyes creasing slightly in anguish as she obviously caused the Slayer pain.

"No, we were fighting these three idiots, they were trying to use magic, demons and technology to do all kinds of bad things. I put two of them in jail but the third one came and shot us. He didn't even know you were up with Willow, I didn't know you were up there." She looked up answering slowly. "It was a stupid stray bullet."

"Willow." Tara whispered one word from Buffy's sentence as her blue eyes flared open wider. Her brain seemed to contently take the other facts without question but the name, the single name made her thoughts tumble into worry though she couldn't explain exactly why.

"Do you remember her?" Buffy realized now she'd totally blown her own internal 'don't talk to Tara about Willow yet' rule and there was no going back now.

"Sh-Sh-She has r-r-red hair doesn't she?" The blonde's lip trembled as she forced herself to answer.

"Yes." Buffy jumped on it immediately.

"I remember red hair and green eyes." Tara's brow furrowed as she tried to focus her blurred mind. "And hands." Struggling she lifted one of her hands from the mattress looking at it, slowly turning it over and over. "She has tiny hands."

"That's Willow." Buffy reached out softly putting her hand on Tara's arm. "Don't force anything." She urged softly as she saw the struggle in Tara's face. "You could never forget Willow, you'll remember."

"I…" Tara closed her eyes for a moment before they suddenly flared open again. "Ahhhh, ow! ow!" The blonde pushed back against her pillow, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip as her back arched off the mattress.

"What, what?" Buffy jumped up scanning for what the problem was.

"Leg... hurts." Tara strung the two words together before burying her head sideways into the pillow.

"Leg..." Buffy pulled the covering off the blonde and instantly noticed left calf was bent up with the muscle locked. "Cramp." She seemed to inform herself as she encased the problem in strong hands and began to massage it.

Tara kept her body taut for a long moment, but then began to relax as the pain began to dull down with Buffy's attentions her breathing becoming more and more even.

"That's it, just try to relax." Buffy encouraged as she massaged the length of her calf.

"That feels good." Tara smiled softly as she felt the blood circulation to the limb even out and she wiggled her toes under the blanket something she hadn't been able to do before that.

"I think we can safely say that muscle has woke up." Buffy smiled back as she finished and put the blanket back across the blonde's body.

"If that's the way they're all going to tell me, they can stay asleep." The Wicca smiled again.

"When you're feeling up to it we can run you a hot bath, that might ease some of them into it." Buffy offered as she sat back down.

"That sounds a little adventurous." Tara admitted feeling daunted by anything that didn't involve just laying in bed.

"When you're ready." Buffy underlined gently so that she didn't worry. "I can bring you a change of clothes if you wanted tomorrow."

"Now that sounds like a good idea." Tara nodded as she brushed her hand over her silk covered stomach.

"Any preferences?" Buffy queered knowing she'd have to make a stealth trip to the boxes in the Magic Box that safely held all of Tara's stuff. They hadn't had the heart to get rid of anything with Willow unable to make the choices. After all something that looked unimportant to them might have been Willow's favourite something, or so Dawn had argued.

"Well these are pretty." Tara noted looking at her outfit. "Do I have lots like these?"

"You do." Buffy nodded. "And I'm glad you like what we picked." She smiled softly. "It was a huge worry."

"I'm so-s-sorry I left you." Tara frowned again her lip trembling slightly once more.

"Tara listen to me okay." Buffy moved slightly closer her own voice thick with emotion suddenly. "That wasn't your fault and the only thing that matters now is you came back to us."

"Yes." Tara agreed with a nod. "Perhaps Willow will bring my clothes?"

"Tara, there is a lot I need to tell you about Willow." Buffy's face fell as she sat back in the chair frowning hard.

"Oh God." Tara began to shake. "Was she shot too?" For some reason the very idea of this caused the blonde to internally panic, her whole chest felt heavy as if she were pushed down by a great weight.

"No, she wasn't shot." Buffy waved with her hands trying to intercept the panic. "Tara things have happened but she's still your Willow, no matter what."

"Mine?" Fighting for her breath Tara focused on Buffy's terminology despite the fear and panic welling up inside. Something was wrong with Willow, she could feel it and that fact made her want to get out of bed though she wasn't sure what she could do.

"Oh I am so screwing this up aren't I?" Buffy gave her a sad smile as she wiped at the layer of worried sweat that had broke on her forehead. "You and Willow are..." She began but stopped herself as something more appropriate struck her. "Soul mates." She whispered.

The blonde shook her head as she let her soft blue eyes lose a little of their focus. For a moment images rushed by behind her eyes at such speed they blurred into one another, but the ones that made her feel good, made her feel safe, made her feel like she was the centre of the universe all held a petite woman with red hair and green eyes.

"We're more than that Buffy." Tara's face transformed into a beatific smile as the residue of the visions settled softly in her heart.

"I thought that was pretty all encompassing." Buffy looked up to catch blue eyes and smiled with her when she didn't see anguish anymore.

"We did freak you out, didn't we?" She asked the question softly though she didn't truly understand her own terminology or reasoning.

"Just a little." The Slayer laughed at herself as Tara picked the fact out of the air so easily. "But I got better and it wasn't really a bad freaking."

"Just a wow my best friend has a girlfriend kind of freaking." Tara again wasn't sure where her information readily jumped from but she could tell by Buffy's reaction that it was making them both feel at least a little better.

"Exactly." Buffy breathed a sigh of relief.

"But it's Willow that's your best friend, right?" Tara made an attempt to at least establish a few ground rules in her head.

"Yes, best friend of me since high school." The Slayer nodded again with a broad smile.

"And Dawnie is your sister." Tara stated confidently. "Wow at this rate I'll remember who runs the country by the end of tomorrow." The blonde Wicca gave an amused smile.

"Oh that you might want to forget." Buffy laughed lightly.

"I won't push hard for that particular detail then." Tara laughed with her.

"There's a lot we need to catch you up on." Buffy admitted her tone going a bit more somber. "But you don't need to be overloaded all at once."

"There are just two things I need to have answered Buffy." Tara's tone also went very serious. The Slayer waited running her hands together in anticipation. "I need to know that my baby is okay, that she's safe." She added the second phrase for clarification of her term 'okay'.

"Willow is safe." Buffy nodded knowing in the context of the word she wasn't lying and that Tara had purposely given her the basic Scooby level of meaning. "We took care of her just as you would have."

"And the other thing is more of a request for confirmation." Tara took what Buffy told her on board. She trusted that Buffy wouldn't lie to her, not on that basic shred of information and as long as her Willow was safe they could work on the rest of this crazy mess.

"Confirmation on what?" Buffy waited a bit more worried by this line of questioning.

"I-I-I…" Tara stopped and took a controlling breath. "I don't have a mother who needs to know I'm safe, do I?" She managed to ask in a whisper.

"I'm sorry." Buffy shook her head, a hard frown pulling at all her features.

Tara shook her head trying to fight the wave of grief that washed over her but she was unable to stop the heavy tears in her eyes from spilling down her pale cheeks.

"I don't know if this will help but there are so many people who love you and are going to be so overwhelmingly happy to know you're back." Buffy swallowed hard wanting to hurt herself for making the blonde cry.

"Thank you." Tara whispered through her tears, her voice tight through unbroken sobs as she turned her face into the pillow and away from Buffy for a moment.

"We're closed, what kind of magic shop do you think would be open at this time of night… morning." The vengeance demon corrected when she glanced up at the wall clock, she didn't look at the figure that entered her shop.

"The kind that would have exactly what I am looking for." Madalene acknowledged softly as she closed the door behind herself. Anya glanced up slowly, regarding her visitor with curious eyes.

"I don't sell things to people knowing that I am helping them take over the world or anything." She warned looking down again.

"What would make you think that would be my goal?" Madalene moved in further eyeing Anya surreptitiously she moved the moneybag she was working through under the counter.

"High magic, it's all around you." Anya pointed out proud of her ability to see it.

"But then you will also notice I'm not the taking over the world type." Madalene moved closer to the counter.

"It's apparent you haven't had the urge yet." Anya admitted with a slight shrug.

"The urge?" Madalene laughed. "I'm looking for Anya, Buffy said she would best be able to assist me. When I saw the light on I was hoping she might be here." She decided to cut to the point.

"Buffy sent you to my shop after midnight?" Anya positively scowled. "And I'm the one who's supposed to be not very thoughtful." She shook her head, her neatly styled blonde hair bobbing around her head lightly.

"I'm sure Buffy didn't mean to cause any disturbance." Madalene tried to gauge the woman's reaction.

"Huh why does everyone always assume Buffy doesn't mean any harm?" Anya quizzed. "So who are you, Buffy hasn't mentioned any new witches to me." She asked pointedly.

"My name is Madalene Slean." The witch was polite. "We met a few nights ago when I had come to your shop to attempt to buy some products and she suggested you would be the more helpful as you owned the shop."

"Oh wait." Anya's eyes suddenly went a little wider. "Are you the reason?" The former vengeance demon seemed suddenly more interested.

"Reason?" Madalene stopped as she felt Anya's senses probing at her aura.

"Magical forces, rising in the area. I've been avoiding looking into it because I've had enough to do with magic for a while." The demon gave a tight shiver. "But you might just be the thing that's got everyone talking."

"I assure you I am not important enough to make anyone talk." Madalene shook her head.

"Maybe not, but you know don't you?" Anya continued her scrutiny of the newcomer.

"I assure you I have no idea what you think I know." She narrowed her eyes at Anya. "Though I do now know something about you." She cleared her mind and tuned into the vengeance demon's signature. "And now I am left with questions."

"Oh you've found out the demon thing, should have guessed." Anya waved her hand in the air. "That's not important, everyone knows that."

"I guess it isn't." Madalene nodded.

"Unless you have a wish I can help you with?" Momentarily Anya's eyes lit up.

"Actually I require some crystals." Madalene shook her head to the wish offer.

"Are you sure?" Anya queried a little desperate. "Isn't there anyone I can curse for you?"

"Mmmmm no, but I'll keep the offer in mind." The witch smiled trying to be polite.

"Ok, so crystals." Anya flipped into business mode when she was sure that she wasn't going to get any wishes. Ducking down for a moment she came up with a velvet display box.

"Yes, silver ice slivers to be exact." Madalene approached the counter and rested against it.

"Dampening crystals?" Anya looked at Madalene thoughtfully as she pointed to the crystals. "You do know about whatever is going on don't you."

"What do you mean?" Madalene questioned carefully to see what Anya was referring too.

"The main use for those crystals is to mask things or underline control and order." Anya noted showing off her extensive knowledge. "So you're either hiding something or controlling it." She put the facts out clearly.

"Or cleansing if the power is conducted through the spellcaster's body." Madalene's voice was tight.

"Is Buffy a part of what's going on, because that's a twist I didn't think of?" Anya said suddenly figuring things out a bit more.

"She would rather tell you herself to be honest." Madalene evaded her questions.

"So she is." Anya frowned. "Oh I see, can't tell the vengeance demon." She scoffed angrily.

"It's not my place." The witch explained.

"No, no, don't worry about it. I mean I'm only her friend, I only put my mortal life on the line for her many, many times, it doesn't t bother me that I'm out of the loop." Anya shrugged her shoulders several times huffing loudly.

"See will tell you soon I assure you." Madalene reassured.

"Well you would say that wouldn't you, you're in it with them. I bet Xander knows, does Xander know?" Anya's eyed narrowed.

"Who is Xander?" Madalene questioned confused.

"You don't know?" Anya's tone changed to sounding positively elated.

"I assure you that I don't have a clue." Madalene nodded. "Can I see the crystals now?"

"Help yourself they're right there." Anya pointed them out again but moved her hand away from the lid.

"Thank you." The witch began checking the selections carefully. At the same time Anya appraised Madalene subtlety tuning in more as she tried to figure out what the witch was hiding. "Please stop that it's rude." Madalene warned her without looking up.

"Sorry." Anya apologised but they were just words as the demon didn't actually stop her actions.

"Okay, why don't you just ask me?" Madalene looked up a little irritated. "Cause that just grates in my head when you do that."

"I... I don't need to." Anya had suddenly gone very pale, and quiet. She looked the witch up and down very slowly making sure what she was seeing was true.

"Damn." Madalene cursed realizing she hadn't been able to hide enough.

"Oh my God." Anya stated bluntly as the truth became blindingly clear.

"Look you don't understand." The witch tried to cut the demon's thoughts off.

"There's not much to understand is there? Tara's back isn't she?" Anya put forward what she knew to be fact.

"Well... yes." Madalene nodded. "But it's complicated."

"It's something from a demon plane." Anya's brow furrowed slightly.

"Okay so maybe not complicated for you." Madalene raised an eyebrow as she tried to figure out how Anya was picking through her defenses so easily to get to the information.

"Basically things separate into four factions; natural, magical, demon or accident." Anya shrugged. "It's not hard to see its demon."

"Good demon." Madalene pointed out self-consciously.

"According to my clients I'm a good demon." Anya pointed out with a smile.

"Well good is relative then." The witch took a sharp breath. "Especially when you disembowel men." She let her mind go out to further confirm what Anya was.

"Men that deserve it." Anya pointed out.

"I'm not sure we could settle this conversation." Madalene picked up a few crystals. "You understand then that I need these to assist Tara."

"Probably not." Anya nodded that she did understand now what the witch was doing with them. "So where is she?"

"Safe." Madalene said simply. "Buffy is with her."

"And how do I find her?" Anya continued her questioning.

"For the moment you don't." Madalene was firm. "Buffy will bring you when she's ready."

"Oh okay, but remind Buffy that I'm Tara's friend too." Anya said firmly back.

"I will, I assure you it's more that Tara needs time to recover from her ordeal as you can imagine." Madalene picked out six crystals. "Do you also have mangraine hip?"

Anya opened her mouth to say something to Madalene's comment, but visibly softened.

"Certainly." She said instead turning to get what was required out of one of the large glass jars. "You can leave the money right there on the counter." She stepped back with a wide smile before without warning the vengeance demon literally shimmered out of existence.

"Anya? ANYA!" Madalene screamed fumbling in her pocket to toss bills down and grabbing her purchase raced for the door.

-x-

Buffy spun the orange and blue striped straw within the tall glass, causing the icy contents within to swirl with it. The slivers of hotel ice moved in a tiny cyclone within the glass, softly clinking against the sides from the movement.

"You don't have to stay awake for me." Buffy reminded Tara softly as blue eyes watched dim shadows dance across the ceiling.

"I like being awake." A thin smile spread over Tara's tired features, slowly she moved her gaze back to Buffy.

"I know how overwhelming all this is." Buffy gently put the glass down. "But you don't have to deal with all this at once. I promise I'll keep everything as easy as I can. I know how psychedelic the first few weeks can be."

"Part of me wants to ask you how you can talk about it with such assurance." Tara admitted blinking slowly. "But part of me doesn't want to know, at least not just yet." She smiled again.

"Fair enough." Buffy smiled at her softly. "But just try to at least remember with me around I'm not going to let anything hurt you ever again."

"Own a protection racket do you?" Tara chuckled softly.

"In a way, you could say that." Buffy laughed lightly as she leaned forward her hair slipping down to frame her face.

"I..." Tara began as she vaguely attempted to sit herself a little more upright but the muscles in her body just weren't in the mood to co-operate.

"Here let me help." Buffy moved instantly to help shift her up, awkwardly holding Tara up against her shoulder while she moved the pillow. Without even straining she repositioned the blonde comfortably upright.

"Wow, how did you..." Tara's voice was full of surprise as Buffy moved her like she was a light doll.

"Well look at that!" Anya's impressed voice cut through the room almost like an alarm as the vengeance demon simply appeared by the foot of the bed.

"Anya!" Buffy jumped back her hands coming up in a defensive stance before she could properly react to the demon. "What the hell are you doing?" She hissed as she dropped her hands.

"Well come on I had to see her. She is my friend too you know." Anya defended pointing to the shocked blonde in the bed.

"How did you know?" Buffy rolled her eyes.

"There had been rumours, you know on the demonvine." Anya leaned forward peering at Tara. "But your new witchy friend filled me in."

"Why didn't you say anything to me before this?" Buffy scowled. "You better not have done anything to Madalene." She warned sitting back down with a deep breath.

"What would I do to her, I'm a vengeance demon, not some big ugly killing machine." Anya scowled at the slayer before leaning forward on the bed returning to her close scrutiny of Tara.

"Tara, do you remember Anya?" Buffy checked softly. "It's okay she won't hurt you."

Tara's wide blue eyes flashed to Buffy, as she shook her head slightly. She looked scared.

"You used to like her, though I'm not sure why sometimes." Buffy shot a look at the demon. "She's not big with the tact."

"I don't have to be big with the tact, that's a human trait and I'm not human." Anya pointed out sharply and Tara frowned more.

"N-N-Not human." She looked to Buffy for answers.

"Less with the demon talk." Buffy glared at her again. "It's okay... Anya's a vengeance demon, but a fairly nice one. She's a friend."

"I only act out vengeance on unfaithful men." Anya pointed out clearly.

"She used to be human, then demon, then human... it's confusing." Buffy tried to reassure the blonde taking her hand gently. "She just wanted to see you cause she missed you, right Anya?"

"Why should I mind the demon talk, we out number you humans in t he room two to one." Anya shook her head.

"We'll be back in one minute." Buffy smiled at Tara. "You, bathroom now!" She barked and grabbed Anya by the arm.

"Wh...OW!" Anya squeaked as Buffy dragged her away. The Slayer soon shoved her inside and closed the door behind them.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" She hissed in a low voice.

"I came to see Tara." Anya replied scowling hard and rubbing her arm "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well you've seen her, orb back to wherever you're scaring the hell out of her." Buffy waved her hand.

"I'm not scaring her." The demon shook her head.

"Anya, she doesn't remember anything... well she remembers close to nothing." Buffy took a deep breath. "She doesn't know who most of us are really or that you're a demon and it's okay or that I'm the slayer or that we live on a Hellmouth and she sure doesn't need you calling her a demon when we both know that has been her fear since her childhood. So please be a little more careful."

"Oh phooey, if she doesn't know well some one has to tell her, here let me." Anya moved back towards the door.

"Are you deaf?" Buffy blocked it. "She needs time, to heal and recover. Back from the dead, not fun remember I did it, which she also has no clue about."

"Time is greatly over estimated." Anya shook her head. "Let me past."

"Anya, please." Buffy tried to ease her stance. "She needs time. Most of her body is still waking up; Madalene has to help her with the pain. She doesn't need to know everything right now."

"You know when I was a human I used to listen to your reasoning, you and Giles and Willow always reasoning, reasoning, reasoning. I'm done now, I'm a vengeance demon again." Clicking her fingers Anya disappeared from the room.

"Not funny Anya." Buffy turned grabbing the door handle only to find it wouldn't turn. "ANYA! ANYA OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!" She banged against it.

Anya reappeared in the chair that Buffy had been sitting in.

"Now that the little slayer distraction is contained." The demon gave a bright smile even though Tara literally jumped as the blonde reappeared. "How are you?"

"H-h-h-how do you do that?" Tara blinked fast as she looked over to the bathroom door, seeing it rock a little in its frame as Buffy hit it.

"Oh it's simple really. I just think of where I want to go and I transport there. It's not like flying but similar." Anya kept smiling though she followed Tara's eyes. "Don't worry about Buffy, she just gets overprotective. She knows I won't hurt you. I always like you best, well other than Xander and never in a sexual way. You are friendly and don't make fun of me."

"Oh wait." Tara's furrowed brow suddenly eased a little. "You own a shop."

"Yes, the Magic Box." Anya nodded completely impressed and happy, of course no one could forget her perfectly run shop.

"And you don't like rabbits." She added softly.

"Horrible creatures." The demon shivered.

"Sorry." She apologised when she saw the reaction her words caused.

"Do you remember the fabulous dress I got you for the wedding? Well fabulous until Xander got cold feet and left, the bastard. You don't want to wish do you?" Anya raised an eyebrow.

"NO WISHING!" Buffy's voice screamed from the bathroom.

"Well I..." Tara stopped at Buffy's voice. "I'm sorry if before I was..." She turned back to Anya. "It's just I don't really remember anything." She tried to explain.

"That's okay, you'll remember it all in awhile." Anya nodded knowingly. "Anything you want me to tell you?"

"My head's kinda hurting from everything I've already been told." Tara was honest. "Though…" She paused. "You're a demon?" She whispered the question.

"Vengeance demon." Anya smiled softly.

"I don't think I understand." Tara admitted.

"I enact vengeance on men who have hurt women but granting wishes." She elaborated instantly. "See if Willow had of asked me I would have skinned Warren for her lickity split, rather than her going all hell bent witch crazy."

"H-H-Hell bent witch..." Tara's frown was back in an instant and much more pronounced than before. "What did Willow do?" She whispered not able to find her voice.

"Okay I'm going to give you the short version to make this easy, Buffy will coddle you and try to hide it and everything but I think you need to know." Anya leaned forward her face sad but honest. "Warren shot you and Buffy, you died in Willow's arm. Now you and Willow are lovers and witches and well it's a very bad combo to shoot a witch on the black magic wagon's lover." She took a breath seeing Tara following her. "So she tried to call Osiris to bring you back like she did to get Buffy the first time but I digress." She reached out and took Tara's hand. "Her mind split off with the grief and the magic took over. She made a bid to be the big world ender witch after she hunted Warren down and killed him for what he did to you."

Tara looked down staring intently at their hands, hers began to shake a little.

"But..." Anya held tighter. "Giles filled her full of goody magic and that made her powers short circuit and we managed to keep her from killing anyone else in time for Xander to give her some speech about a crayon which sorta reattached her mind with her grief and she turned into a catatonic mess."

"ANYA THIS IS NOT FUNNY LET ME OUT!" Buffy screamed again.

"So you being a demon human hybrid is really convenient cause the one thing that can make Willow well Willow again is if you're alive and there to help her." Anya looked at the door and then back at Tara. "And now I don't have to miss you." She added softly. "I missed you, it was no fun with you dead."

"I see." Tara's voice was a tight whisper and though her words were calm the blonde's cheeks had grown sallow and her face was a mask of bridled pain.

"It really isn't as bad as it sounds." Anya tried to be upbeat. "You're back, that's the main thing." She patted Tara's hand.

"Yes." Making an effort Tara broke out of her reverie and looked at Anya. "I'm sorry Anya, I'm really very tired." She said quietly.

"Do you want me to orb back with your stuff that's at the shop?" Anya tried to be helpful.

"No, it's... that is I think Buffy wanted to get them." Tara tried to keep her thoughts somewhat organized in her head.

"Oh right. Anything I can bring you?" Anya checked.

"No, but thank you." Tara replied genuinely.

"I'll come back tomorrow and check on you." Anya stood up smiling. "I'm so glad your back." She waved her hand as she disappeared and Buffy came tumbling out of the bathroom.

"Anya, I'm going to kill you." Buffy growled catching herself just as blue light dissipated. Tara watched the Slayer's stumble with hard blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" Buffy moved over to the bed.

"You lied to me." She whispered her voice level but deathly quiet.

"I didn't." Buffy shook her head frowning instantly. "I just didn't tell you everything."

"How bad is she?" Tara asked not really listening to Buffy's sidestepping.

The Slayer sat down seeming to lose every ounce of her supernatural strength. Her lips pursed together for a minute as she tried to think of a real answer, the right answer an honest answer.

"How do you want me to quantify that?" Buffy questioned still looking at the carpet. "Compared to the woman she was with you, compared to when she almost blew up the world, compared to when she was in the hospital..." She choked suddenly.

"I don't talk in comparisons Buffy." Tara pointed out.

"You were her everything." Buffy's lip trembled despite trying to lock her jaw. "You are her everything." She let out a slow breath. "You were her light, you were her guidance and then you were gone and she got so lost."

"You should go." Tara suddenly looked away from the Slayer.

"I never lied to you Tara." Buffy pushed up and hovered at the end of the bed with her arms around her. "She is safe, as safe as I can get her but I can't get inside her head, I can't stop the scary things that lurk there and drag her down. But I do my best, I have done my best since the day you died to look after her like you would." She felt hot and light-headed with emotion.

"I..." Tara looked up at Buffy fighting the raging emotions inside her. A part of her was angry, another part sad, another part hurting and another lost. She just didn't, she just couldn't focus and yet she wanted to. She wanted to know what to say, what to do for this obviously brave woman who had undoubtedly tried so hard to care for Willow, her Willow when she hadn't been there.

"I'll bring your stuff to you tomorrow." Buffy watched the thoughts crossing Tara's face but could only focus on the anger there as she turned away from it towards the door.

"Buffy wait!" Tara called as the Slayer moved away. Buffy slowly looked back over her shoulder. "Thank you." Tara said her blue eyes softening.

"We're not thank you type friends remember." Buffy nodded her hard visage also easing. "I'll hang out front till Madalene gets back so you're not alone."

"I would ask you to stay, if I wasn't semi sure you'd say no." The blonde added with a slight sad frown.

"You'd be semi wrong then." Buffy turned back towards her fully.

"I hope I wasn't as emotionally all over the place as this before I went away." Tara gave a characteristic smile, the first she had since returning.

"You were always the quite optimist." Buffy moved back over with slow steps. "I have to admit it wasn't until just recently that you and I talked much. I mean we were together lots, with Willow, but it was you and Willow I was third wheel."

"Essential for a tricycle." Tara smirked.

"It was you and Willow who took care of Dawn when I was..." She hesitated having only heard bits through the door. "When I was dead."

Tara looked at Buffy for a moment. Her bottom lip quivered before she stopped to shake her head, tossing her light hair around slightly as softly as she began to laugh.

"No, really I'm not making this up." Buffy raised an eyebrow at the reaction. "I had to close a hell Goddess' portal to save Dawn who is really a big ball of energy that some monks made into my sister." She stopped as Tara started to laugh harder not able to stop from smiling. "I sound insane don't I?" She laughed softly.

"No more insane than a girl, sorry vengeance demon who can fly and lock you in a bathroom but is deathly afraid of bunnies." Tara laughed harder.

"Well then I should tell you I'm a vampire slayer, ancient prophecy." Buffy laughed more. "And Xander is a carpenter." She howled more. "But man he can take a beating and still wield a broadsword."

"Do we have a dog called Scooby Doo? Or drive around in a brightly coloured van?" Tara's side began to ache a little.

"You are a slayerette." Buffy leaned against the bed as she laughed.

"Do I have a badge?" Tears slipped down Tara's cheeks.

"No, but you have your own axe." Buffy giggled hysterically.

"Ok why does Scooby Doo sound familiar to me?" Tara paused briefly though she was still chuckling.

"It's a TV show, cartoon. I think Xander made you watch it." Buffy tried to calm herself.

"No, no." Tara shook her head. "No I remember. Willow, she once told me I was a Scooby now, one of the good guys."

"You are." Buffy nodded with a broad smile.

"But there's no dog right?" Tara checked with a grin of her own.

"We have a strict pet rule." Buffy laughed lightly. "Only Xander."

They enjoyed the moment of eased tension when suddenly Tara's grin vanished. She looked up at the Slayer with sad blue eyes.

"I have to see her." She whispered.

"You have to be well first." Buffy let a long pause underline how important the request was before she answered.

Tara held Buffy's eyes for a long moment but then gradually let her gaze drop.

"You're right." She admitted sadly.

"It's not a bad thing." Buffy moved closer and took the blonde's hand.

"I know it's just that." Tara took a slight breath and curled her fingers around Buffy's hand. "Twenty four hour ago I didn't remember her to miss her, but now I can hardly think of anything else." The blonde looked up with tear filled blue eyes.

"Tara, I have to ask you a really serious question and I promise whatever answer you give me is okay but I have to ask." Buffy took in a sharp breath through her nose and Tara nodded. "And it might be more cause of what I went through when I came back and how lost I was and how everything hurt so much, you might... I really hope you're not feeling any of that." She continued hating herself for what she was thinking but having to ask. "I know you will always love Willow, but before you see her, before we give her hope that you're alive I need to know that you're not going to take it away from her." She looked up into blue eyes before looking down ashamed. "No one would blame you for wanting to get as far away from us as you could, as far away from all this craziness. It's just..."

"Are you asking if I am going to leave?" Tara frowned softly as she asked for clarification.

"Yes." Buffy looked up again. "I can't let anything hurt Willow anymore."

"No Buffy I..." Tara shook her head as adamantly as possible but then stopped. "Do you think I should?" She asked her voice totally different as her mind rushed ahead of her wondering if this was indeed what the Slayer was hinting at.

"No, no Tara." Buffy shook her head adamantly back. "You were never meant to be shot that day, you shouldn't have died. I have looked at the angle from the backyard a thousand times. It wasn't right. It wasn't what should have happened. You're meant to be here, with Willow, with all of us."

"B-B-But I did die." a strange look of fear and worry flooded Tara's face. "And… and I did leave you." The panic she felt welling up inside her was almost palpable. "Oh God." She drew in a breath from her ever-tightening lungs. "I shouldn't be here should I?"

"Yes, you should." Buffy spoke in a firm honest voice. "I'm not sure how all this ancestry stuff has worked Tara but I'll get Giles on it and grill Anya for information to explain it to you. When I was brought back it was big ceremonies and all sorts of magic. You just woke up. That's all, we didn't do anything but let you wake up."

"I'm sorry it's just..." Tara forced herself to calm down a little. "It's all so confusing."

"I know it is but you have to trust the fact that this was what was supposed to happen Tara." Buffy gave her a reassuring smile. "And with Madalene having gone through the same thing it underlines it. This is like a Maclay family secret, but a good one."

"Maclay?" Tara looked at Buffy with her head tilted a little.

"You're last name."

"Is it?" Tara's right eyebrow arched a little.

"You don't like it?" Buffy raised an eyebrow. "I guess you could pick another one if you wanted."

"No, it's not that it's just it doesn't really sound familiar." Tara shook her head. "I could have sworn it began with an R."

"Rosenberg?" Buffy tested with a huge heart of hope.

"Now that is much more familiar." Tara smiled as the name settled happily in her head.

"It's Willow's last name." Buffy's smile grew.

"In that case I think I should stick to Maclay." Tara admitted softly. "That is until Willow and I decide to change it permanently."

"Please don't make us wear hideous green mermaid dresses like Anya did." Buffy laughed.

"I promise." Tara smiled knowingly because even though she couldn't actually remember, something in her mind told her that that particular event should not ever be repeated.

The sound of keys rattling panicked against the door was heard for a moment before the lock finally gave way and the door came to a jumping stop against the chain. An unseen force pushed the chain back away as the door opened to show a very out of breath and upset witch.

"Where is she?" She stamped in a hand to her chest trying to get the burning feeling to leave after the long run. "She read my mind, I so hate it when things do that to me and then disappear."

"Madalene, Anya was here and she's gone." Buffy stood up worried by the spell casters obvious exertion. "Sit down." She motioned to the other bed.

"I'm sorry I was trying to warn you." The spellcaster went over and dropped down. "I'm not great with..." She huffed and puffed. "Running."

"Well if you ran from the shop I can get that it is more than a few miles." Buffy raised her eyebrow.

"Are you alright Tara?" Madalene questioned worried.

"I'm tired." Tara confirmed.

"Have you had more pain?" The brunette's breathing eased back to normal. "I was able to get some suitable crystals."

"No, I feel more, at peace some how." Tara frowned trying to express how she felt. "Actually if ii think about it I feel…" She paused. "Sleepy."

"You should sleep then." Buffy smiled softly. "I'll come back in the morning with your stuff and Xander wanted to see you, if you don't mind?"

"I don't mind." Tara closed her eyes smiling softly, she opened on slowly with a grin. "He's house trained right?" She checked.

"I'll tell him he has to even bring you flowers." Buffy grinned back as she grabbed her coat.

Xander whistled a loud happy tune as he pushed open the door to the Magic Box. He jumped his way down the stairs to the main area noting what a good job he'd done when he'd replaced early in the summer. He moved directly over to the counter where Anya was busy sorting out boxes.

"Well hello pretty lady, how are you this morning?" He grinned at her as he moved a small box off one of the stools.

"You're whistling." Anya looked up briefly from her inventory.

"I am, any requests?" Xander continued grinning.

"What was it you were whistling just then?" The vengeance demon asked not recognizing the tune.

"Zippadee-do-da." Xander looked inside the box. "Did you find the one with clothes yet?"

"Yes, it's this one." Anya pointed to the box that she had separated off. "Should we choose her an outfit or take the whole box do you think?"

"The whole box. She might want to pick something herself." Xander looked inside it smiling at the array of 'Tara' clothing. "So how did she look?" He asked seriously.

"Who?" Anya busied herself finding tape to re-seal the box.

"Tara." Xander pushed.

"Well she looks like she did when we buried her, only more animated. Though only slightly more than when we buried her." Anya shrugged.

"I can't believe she's alive, it's like Christmas and my birthday at the same time." Xander mused happily.

"I always knew there was something more about the way you looked at her." Anya scowled a little in the young man's direction.

"What? Anya no way." Xander frowned instantly. "I'm glad Tara's alive because first she should have never died and secondly Willow needs her and third she's a nice friend... stress on friend."

"Oh it's not like I mind if you find her attractive, I mean she is attractive, I think she's attractive." The vengeance demon flustered a little.

"Yes, an attractive lesbian who likes women and is my friend." Xander smirked. "So you and Tara heh?"

"No." The demon's reply was swift and almost angry.

"Anya I was joking." He tried to soothe her not sure exactly what mood she was in.

"Oh." Anya looked a little put out. "It's hard to tell with you sometimes." She pointed to one of the other boxes. "Do you think she wants knick-knacks?"

"I think we should bring the clothes." He looked around at the half dozen boxes. "And the rest, it might help her remember."

"You can carry." Anya pointed to the three boxes on the floor.

"I can carry." He picked them up with a smile.

Xander stopped the car carefully behind a large truck as the lumbering machine came to a four way stop. He glanced over at his passenger and smiled softly. He could hardly believe he was in a car with Anya driving to a hotel where Tara, who was now alive again, was staying.

"Your hair looks really nice up like that." He commented as he checked the traffic around him as he approached the stop sign.

"Just because Tara is back and things look brighter, doesn't mean I've gone soft." Her response was quick.

"Whoa, I was just saying your hair looks nice." He held up his hands.

"Does it." The edge dropped from Anya's voice to be replaced by a smile.

"It does, really like that Cameron Diaz girl." He tried to find a comparison.

Anya's eyes glazed a little and she sighed with a small noise of contentment. Xander turned his attention back to driving.

Tara pushed both of her hands through her hair and straightened her back on the pillows as there came a short sharp knock on the door. The morning had brought with it an easing in the muscles of her upper body and now, though they were still weak, she could happily move her arms, head and upper body.

"Let me get that." Madalene moved off of her bed and towards the door. She carefully spied out the glass to see the distorted faces of Anya and Xander grinning back at her. "The demon and some boy is with her, are you up for visitors?"

"I think so, I feel okay." Tara nodded enjoying how easy the movement was.

"Let me know if you want them to go." Madalene smiled and moved to open the door.

"Hey I have flowers." Xander stood grinning as he trotted in carrying a full load of boxes while Anya held the bouquet.

"For me?" Tara questioned from the bed, her whole face lit by a soft smile.

"Of course for you." Xander grinned so hard his face hurt as Madalene stepped back and he set the boxes down. "Buffy said I had too, but I would have anyway." He moved over staring at her in awe.

"They're beautiful Xander." Tara shyly looked away for a moment. "Thank you." She looked back up at the soft-faced young man.

"Wow, I mean wow you're alive." Xander almost bounced in his spot.

"I am." She nodded gently. "Morning Anya." She turned slightly to look at the vengeance demon.

"We brought your things." Anya pointed to the boxes that Xander had brought in as she pressed the bouquet in her hands at Madalene expecting her to do something.

"Well not all of them." Xander plopped down in the chair by the bed still staring at her. "But most of your clothes and nick knacks."

"I'll put them in water." Madalene took them with a thin smile and moved towards the bathroom.

"Thank you." Tara said again as she turned to watch as Xander sat down. "So do I check out okay?" She asked her smile warm and soft.

"Sorry, I'm staring aren't I? I swear I did this when Buffy came back too." He blushed a little.

"It's ok, I'm sure I'm doing my fair share of staring." Tara shook her head to the young man's apology.

"We you're moving a lot more than yesterday." Anya piped up as she sat down on the end of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Xander checked thoughtfully. "Do you need anything? You name it and we'll get it here."

Tara looked between the two of them unable to miss the happiness they seemed to get just from seeing her laying there.

"I'm a lot more flexible than yesterday." She addressed Anya's point and then turned to Xander. "And I am feeling, strange, good, but strange." She tried to give an honest answer.

"Good strange is good." He nodded.

"I'm sure having so many people who love her is comforting." Madalene came back with the flowers in a thin slightly tinted vase, the colouring in the glass chipped in places but it did nothing to detract from the beautiful bouquet of roses and daisies.

"Well of course it is comforting, love is. That is until it goes wrong and sour." Anya stopped her ramble short and looked back at Tara. "Which hardly ever happens in situations like this."

"Anya." Xander looked at her his voice soft as he pleaded with her for a bit of leeway. "Tara isn't as stupid or as spineless as I am."

"Well no, we know that." Anya gave him a look that said 'well duh'.

"Maybe I should go out and get us some lunch." Madalene picked up on the tension in the room and not being a part of the history felt maybe it was best if she amuse herself. "Tara do you feel up to anything?"

"And maybe Xander could go with you." Anya looked at the dark haired man with narrow eyes.

"Mmmmm I have a strange craving for applesauce." Tara gave the spellcaster a slightly lopsided smile.

"Xander if you'd like to join me." Madalene graciously offered as she picked up her coat.

"Yeah, I can get applesauce. I know the kind you like." Xander jumped up and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Well go already." Anya looked pointedly at the door and from her place on the bed Tara chuckled softly. Madalene hovered for a moment before she realized Tara wasn't objecting before she led Xander out.

Madalene untied the light wool cardigan she had looped around her waist and slowly pulled it on as they entered the parking lot of the second rate motel. She was superficially glad as they had exited that Xander had been there, if only to stop the lecherous older man at the front counter from eying her every time she moved. It seemed even in his perversion he appreciated the stout young man's presence.

"Is there somewhere in particular to get this magical applesauce?" She questioned her companion as they walked with her vague guidance towards the nearest corner store.

"Oh no, it's not magical." Xander shook his head. "I mean yeah Tara was a witch but you know that doesn't mean like everything she likes was like witchy." He laughed nervously.

"It was a joke." She looked at him a bit confused.

"Oh yeah, of course." Xander blushed more.

"It appears I make you nervous." She pointed out hoping to get whatever stumbling block they had out of the way.

"Hey me nervous." He laughed shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah 'kay. You are kinda imposing."

"Imposing?" Madalene laughed lightly. "I'm half your size and not very strong at that. You have nothing to fear of me Xander. You have a good heart and are a loyal friend." She smiled at him.

"I'm sounding kinda like a dog." Xander grinned happy with the appraisal. "Does Tara remember my snoopy dance?" He looked worried. "She only saw it once as far as I know, but I can understand if that confused her."

"I'm not sure, perhaps a demonstration would help." The witch laughed a bit at his enthusiasm.

"I'm being kinda goofish aren't I?" Xander apologised as he realized what he was saying. "You see I recognize it these days, ever since I was spilt and then put back together. I can know when the goof Xander is at the front and this is when I over compensate by being all suave and sophisticated." The young man dug his hands further into his pockets.

"You were split?" Madalene questioned still smiling at his attempt to include her.

"Yeah by this demon called Toth, there was this thing, I got split into two people. It was you know intense." Xander filled in the brief explanation.

"Sounds it. Though I have to be honest and say it's comforting to have a group of people that take what I say about magic and demons on face value." Madalene stopped at the sidewalks end waiting for the light to change.

"Well the fact you didn't walk in wielding a large sword or with black eyes floating off the ground kinda helped your case." Xander answered honestly with another shrug.

"I don't know how to wield a broadsword and I assure you I have no need and especially no desire to use black magic?" Madalene promised him.

"Then we're gonna get along just fine." Xander kicked at a pebble lying on the sidewalk he watched it bounce along down the sidewalk as they continued at the prompting of the green light.

Buffy hung by the bedroom door unsure she actually wanted to enter. There had been muffled sounds coming from within the room for some time which told the Slayer that her friend was awake but as the redhead had not appeared out of the room Buffy had decided that most probably Willow was having a 'bad' start to the day.

"Hey Will." Buffy wrapped lightly in the door as she pushed down the handle and opened it.

"Hi Buffy." Willow looked up as she yanked at the corner edge of the bottom sheet trying to free it from around the mattress.

"Hi…" Buffy took a few steps into the room. It took moments for the Slayer to take in the scene before her and fully comprehend what she was seeing. "Wash day?"

"They need changing." Willow nodded as she finally sprung the corner free. As she did she lost her footing slightly and ended up falling back onto her butt on the carpet.

"Well yeah I was gonna do it..." Buffy hurried forward just missing her falling friend. "Hey steady."

Willow looked up at the Slayer and blinked for a moment before she started laughing.

"Ow my butt." She giggled as she leaned her hand back to rub the throbbing muscle.

Buffy scanned her friend's face for a long moment and then felt herself relax. The sound of once familiar laughter was such a comforting one.

"Well it's kinda bony Will." She chuckled.

"I do not have a bony butt." Willow laughed more as she pushed up and began balling up the sheet. "And you're one to talk slayer girl."

"What!" Buffy spun round a little trying to get a look at her own butt. "I have a good butt, it's a slayer butt."

"You're butt is fine." Willow laughed more as the blonde got worried.

"Are you sure?" Buffy moved over to look in the full-length mirror to get a proper look at her backside.

"You worry too much." Willow assured her. "Did you bring my meds up?"

"Yeah they're with a drink on a little tray, I left it outside just let me get it." Buffy moved to the door as Willow sat down as she balled up the rest of the bedclothes and waited for her to return.

"Here we go." Buffy returned moments later. "How you feeling?" She checked as she sat down on the stripped bed.

"Okay, a bit sore." Willow rubbed at her arm before she took the slim glass of water off the tray and slowly swallowed each of her pills. "How are you?"

"Concerned for my slayer butt." Buffy joked. "I did a quick check over of you, I don't think you hurt yourself last night."

"I'm sorry I don't always remember to ask, things get so jumbled sometimes I mean too and then it's like whoosh a half hour goes by and I can't even remember if I did." She finished off the water and put the glass down.

"It's ok, no need for sorries." Buffy's voice was soft and caring.

"I know how hard it is for you." Willow's voice went soft as well but didn't hold any of its usual distance or cloudiness.

"Hard shmard." Buffy blew up into her hair and waived her hand giving her best friend a loving smile.

"I'm trying you know." Willow stood up and looked down at Buffy. "I'm trying but it gets so hard sometimes."

"Trying to?" Buffy couldn't quite understand where Willow was coming from so suddenly.

"I know..." Willow tried to explain but she stopped and rethought her words. "I am aware sometimes really that..." She stopped again. "I mean I know it seems like I don't but I do... know."

"Know?" Buffy frowned feeling a little confused with both Willow's apparent lucidity and her words that quite frankly made no sense to the Slayer.

"She's dead." Willow's voice was a hushed whisper as her thin arms came up around her body. "My Tara is dead." She walked off towards the window.

"Willow I..." Buffy felt her heart lodge in her throat as her eyes followed Willow across the room. Since that day on the road when Willow had choked the life out of the Warrenbot there had been no real talk of Tara. Of course there had been lots of screaming, sobbing and random acts of profound sadness but never any straightforward talk of it.

"I get stuck." The redhead unwound her arm and reached up to rest her palm flat on the glass. "In that little moment before she was gone, when she was still mine, when everything made sense and I still had hope." Her voice ended on a bland distant note.

"Hope is good Willow." Buffy pushed off the bed and made a slight move towards her friend. "Tara will always be yours." The Slayer whispered resting her hand on Willow's shoulder.

The redhead didn't seem to listen or notice as her hand shook slightly against the glass but other than that she stayed motionless. Buffy traced the slight tremor in Willow's arm with her eyes, coming to rest on a small pale hand.

"Let's get you someplace comfy." She reached slowly down Willow's arm and closed her fingers over the redhead's attempting to ease the thin fingers off the glass. The redhead let herself be guided away, the warmth in her hand leaving a small patch of condensation on the glass for a moment as Buffy moved her towards her favorite spot on the couch.

"So imported bottled water." Anya sipped at her small glass and smiled at the blonde who was propped up on the bed. "You're really coming up in the world."

"Apparently Dawnie was adamant I should have the best. Thank you for bring my things, oh and helping pick out a different outfit." Tara pointed to the set of clothes on the spare bed.

"You're quite welcome." Anya smiled broadly. "So when are you going to see Willow?"

For the first time that day Tara seemed a little taken back by the question, she looked at the vengeance demon hesitantly.

"I-I-I'm not sure." She admitted quietly. "Buffy thinks i need to be better before I see her." She put forward the Slayer's take on the subject.

"You know you don't have to listen to Buffy but being able to walk might make Willow not freak out." Anya tried to be supportive.

"Oh yes I understand that. I feel much better today." The blonde attempted an up beat positive comment. "Stronger." She tried to pin point exactly what felt different. "More together I guess." She attempted an appraisal.

"You should get the big witch to do more magic on you." Anya encouraged.

"I think that was very tiring for her and I'm not sure how much good it did." Tara frowned softly. "I mean I am sure it did a lot of good, it's just that, it seemed to get really bad, later in the evening, but then eased right off." She shook her head a little obviously quite perplexed by it.

"Around eight or nine?" Anya raised her eyebrow as she questioned.

"I'm afraid I have no idea of time frames Anya." Tara said apologetically. "And it's like this morning, there's hardly a trace of it." She lifted her hand and flexed her long fingers for a moment.

"You could be having a sun cycle thing." Anya poised thoughtfully. "Maybe this latent power feeds off sunlight, sorta like you're an anti-vampire. Cause I mean I've wracked my brain and I don't know why you're a part demon."

"Sorry," She apologised trying not to laugh too openly. "But that phrase makes me chuckle."

"Anti-vampire?" Anya questioned.

"No, no, a part demon. I expect to look down and find I have a long pointy tail or something." The blonde's blue eyes crinkled with laughter.

"You'd be damn lucky to have a tail but unfortunately you don't have that much demon in you." Anya smiled sadly at her. "I knew a gorgeous demon witch with a tail once back about four hundred years ago. She threw the best virgin sacrifice parties. I mean I went more for the parties than the sacrifices but you know go with the flow right."

"Four hundred years?" Tara stared at Anya.

"Tara you know this, I'm 1200 years old." Anya stated proudly. "And still have an ass you can bounce quarters off of."

"Oh!" Tara blushed a little at the demon's imagery. "Well you do have a lovely ass?" She said trying to be polite.

"Thank you but remember I'm not gay like you and Willow. I love Xander... well I did love him till he stood me up... oh damn I still love him. Do you think he was being sincere earlier?" She questioned flustered.

"Sincere? When?" Tara looked up confused.

"When he said you were braver than him? Obviously meaning that you'd never stand up Willow at the altar cause of one stupid made up vision of a horrible future, cause your love would be stronger than that." Anya went on trying to get an answer. "I mean we've been apart for along time in human relationship terms, should I forgive him now?"

"Xander stood you up?" Tara's blue eyes widened as she thought of the young man who had been there earlier didn't connect with one of a scared young man running from a wedding. He had seemed so nice, so genuine.

"It was horrible, that's when I went back to being a demon cause I wanted to wish his entrails out of his stomach but I couldn't do it." Anya filled in.

"Because you still love him." Tara reasoned.

"I do, damn you could always see through me." Anya smiled at the blonde. "But I don't know how to fix it cause he doesn't want to seem to fix it. He's just all living with the guilt and not moving on."

"If he's so full of guilt it must be because some of him at least regrets what he did." Tara reasoned. "Regrets hurting you."

"I'm glad you're back, I missed talking with you." Anya conceded for once letting go of a Xander conversation before someone else. Tara smiled at the vengeance demon, but suddenly a frown flashed across her face.

"The glass is cold." She said oddly.

"The what is what?" Anya frowned immediately. "Are you feeling alright?"

Tara lifted her hand up holding it flat upright in front of her for a moment, before blinking slowly and looking at Anya almost blankly.

The hotel's nearest corner store was located with a cluster of gas stations and restaurants, centered on catering to the more short term needs of truck drivers from the close highway near by. It was your standard American Seven Eleven, it's neon sign announcing to the world that it was open twenty four hours a day seven days a week. But as Xander had proudly commented when they walked in, if its always open why does it need a lock on the door?

Shopping had been easy with only a short list of things to find. Bottled water and apple juice topped the list for the spellcaster but Xander had insisted that they both have some treat for their effort. For that reason she was now nursing a very large very frozen electric blue slushy, though if she was honest there was something comforting about hanging out at the local corner store just watching the world go by.

Madalene pulled her legs up a bit tighter against her body as she balanced on the long thin concrete parking block laughing at Xander's impression of Captain Kirk. As they had been sitting there he'd been doing his best to entertain her in various ways, thoughtfully she realized trying to ease the tension of being around the close knit Scoobies.

"You should do stand-up." She smiled as he gave her a breather to take a slip of his slushy.

"Well I could but pretty soon into it I'd probably fall over. So it's be more fall down than stand up." He gave a boyish grin.

"We should probably get back with that applesauce." She stood up and picked up the bags next to her.

"Hey let me get that." Xander reached for the bag too.

"Okay you carry." She let him take it and concentrated on her own fluorescent blue slushy.

"Just call me the carrying guy or the mule. Oh here I go with the animal metaphors again." He joked as they walked.

Madalene had to admit up until the moment the low buzzing filled in the lower limits of her hearing she'd been enjoying this little outing. It was almost like real life, walking, talking and enjoying a trip to buy snacks. But all that was taken away in an instant.

"Xander do you hear that?" She did a quick three sixty trying to pinpoint the noise.

"Hear what the slurping sounds of you guzzling electric blue or the depressing sound of my self esteem slipping away as I think about the ramifications of just being Mr. Carrying Guy?" Xander listened even though he was talking.

"Neither." She shook her head. "It's a low buzzing that is getting lower and coming from..." She concentrated and pointed to a deserted lot full of trees across the road from them. "There."

As the spellcaster's slim arm came to rise and Xander was able to follow it to where she was pointing the mysterious humming took the motion as a cue to move into action. The cluster of trees shed off a layer of dark colour as the air came to life with a rising dark mist. The buzzing clouds lifted up grouping tight together before heading towards the pair.

"Bees." Xander shrugged feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the odd display. His logical Scooby mind screamed it was daylight and nothing evil demon should happen during the day.

"Xander run!" Madalene turned and pushed him.

"Hey it's ok, I'm not allergic." He stood stupidly for a moment.

"Not bees and not natural." Madalene shoved him again as the horde tracked to hover on the opposite sidewalk before rearing up and with a angrier buzz headed straight towards them.

"Oh." Xander's feet began moving before his brain did. "Oh." He said again with greater understanding as the noise got louder and more threatening. "Ok, so not bees." He panted as they ran down the street glancing over his shoulder at the looming black swarm.

"We can't outrun them, we need somewhere to hide." She waved her arms around her head as the some of the horde caught up and encased them. Small hard-shelled bodies bounced off her skin and filled her with a sickening feeling.

"Hiding, hiding is good." Xander nodded emphatically using the bag to swing in wide arcs as he tried to get them to disperse.

"Telephone booth, go!" Madalene pointed as the dark cloud around her cleared slightly and she was able to see the silver and clear box a half block down the road. She screamed at him to move as more of them descended on her beginning to cling onto her sweater and hair.

Xander didn't need a second urging this time as he hurried blindly through the bug filled air. He bungled past the spellcaster and wrenched the door open waving frantically at Madalene to get inside.

"Tectum." Madalene reached her hands up and tried to put up a shield between the telephone booth and the body of the cloud in order to buy them some time to get inside.

As the spell took form and moved out forward she was totally surprised to find the shield coming back at her as the spell backfired. Ungracefully she was thrown back through the phone booth's open door into Xander.

"Okay." Xander panted as he reached over her to swing the Plexiglas door of the booth closed. "Who ordered the plague?"

"I don't know but they are not natural." Madalene pushed herself up from her slumped position instantly holding her left arm to her body. "Damn, I think I hurt my arm."

"Hurt something?" Xander frowned at her trying to avoid looking at the dark undulating mass of bugs around the booth. "I didn't think you got hit that hard."

"Xander I'm only part demon." She cradled her arm with a frown. "And I kept trying to tell everyone I'm not unbreakable like in that Bruce Willis movie. I think I hit it off the frame as I came through the door."

"No, I mean okay it happens. As soon as we get out of the phone booth we can get you looked at." Xander frowned more, he still didn't think the witch had been pushed that hard.

"I'm sorry." Madalene looked up at him her voice softer. "I get cranky when weird super locust chase me into a phone booth and make me drop my slushy."

"It's all right. Anya used to get cranky when I'd through one of her cheeses out of the fridge after watching it walk around in there for an hour or so." Xander shrugged and looked out of the colourless booth side at the myriad of large double winged insects that bounced off the hard windows. "I understand cranky."

"So any ideas?" Madalene looked out with a frown.

"Big can of bug spray?" Xander smiled rather pathetically.

"Bug spray?" The witch smiled at him. "Well I could try another spell. How fast can you run?"

"No, I know." Xander fished in his pocket for a second and pulled out a shiny quarter. "We call Buffy." He proudly held it aloft before stepping up to the phone. Quickly he pushed the quarter into the slot and dialed the number.

"I hope she's home." Madalene stamped her foot down as a small black body tried to push in through a crack in the bottom of the booth.

Staring incredulously at the handset for a moment Xander groaned and hung up again.

"Oh well she's home." The quarter dropped through as he turned to the spellcaster. "And apparently on the phone." He quickly pocketed the money again.

"She doesn't have call waiting?' Madalene couldn't help but laugh at their situation. "I mean here we are trapped in a phone booth surrounded by magical locust and..." She stopped as Xander spoke to cut her off.

"Does that cut in immediately or does it take a while, cause I didn't wait." Xander pointed dumbly at the phone.

"If you got a busy signal it means she doesn't have it." Madalene smiled softly at him.

"I could try... No come on Xander think man think." The young man looked up to the top of the booth. "Holy fire batman I have an idea." He said suddenly looking back at Madalene.

"Lighting us on fire is not an idea." Madalene shook her head lightly.

"No, no but fire is. They don't like fire do they, I remember from biology class. Willow used to make me look at the bugs." He shivered. "I hated the bugs but she said they were ok. She told me they hated fire so if I ever got stuck in a swarm of locust and needed to escape to use fire. Not that at the time I thought I needed the advice but I'm learning not to scoff at our slightly quirky childhood."

"But we don't have much to light on fire?" Madalene followed his logic.

"We have apple sauce." He grinned knowing it was a useless commodity to have but unable to resist. "Oh no wait." He clicked his fingers again. "We have magazines. Well magazine, singular. Tara probably wouldn't read it anyway."

"Well I told you 'World Wrestling Babes' wasn't probably her favourite." Madalene couldn't resist teasing him as she leaned down to pull it out of the bag.

"Hey she's a lesbian." "Xander tried to explain his reasoning. "Pictures of fit women I thought might perk her up you know."

"Xander you do realize that women with fake breasts and impossibly unrealistic body sizes are geared to young men like you, not lesbians." She resisted the urge to swat him for his quirkiness.

"Ok, burn the gorgeous women." Xander grinned despite the situation.

"So if we can get this lit I can do an expansion spell to make it bigger and we should be able to buy us some fire cover." Madalene this time did smack him lightly with the magazine.

"Great, did I ever mention how much I love witches? Good witches." He underlined.

"Good witch of the north." The spellcaster smiled. "So do you have a lighter?"

"Err… no. I don't smoke." Xander shook his head though for some reason he patted his pockets as if to check. "But I know you can do fire lightly spells."

"How did I know you'd make me do this the hard way?" The brunette rolled her eyes. "Give a witch a minute." She rolled the magazine and held it up in front of her staring at the ends of the rolled paper intently.

"Oh come on its just illuminati and puff isn't it?" Xander grinned as he watched.

"You wanna see how long it takes you to spontaneous cause fire Mr. Caveman?" She glanced at him briefly and then back to the magazine.

"Oh no wait, the illuminati was the secret agency in Tomb Raider..." Xander seemed off on his own tangent again.

"This isn't like part of a spell, or a candle this is..." The end of it erupted suddenly in a small yellow flame as she spoke.

"Bingo there you go witchy woo!" Xander grinned at the small fire.

"Okay talk later run now." She motioned for him to get the door ready for her.

"Oh yeah right." He caught up with the action again.

"I make big flame ball we run, ready?" Madalene prepared herself.

"Big flaming ball and running. Check." He nodded.

"Go on Vanna open the door." Madalene held the flaming magazine out.

"Okay after three." He breathed out. "One, two…."

-x-

Buffy had settled Willow on the couch with a blanket and had put the television on low as background noise hoping to distract her from her own thoughts. She'd been a bit surprised when the phone rang but quickly made her way to the kitchen wanting not to disturb the redhead. Not that she was sure in her slightly catatonic state Willow was disturbable.

"Hello." Buffy tried to be as bright as she could.

"Buffy." The broad and clear English accent gave away the identity of the caller immediately.

"Giles. Wow, I thought it was like 5am with you." Buffy looked at the clock.

"It's the other way Buffy, so very far from it." Giles admitted.

"What's up? Is the world ending?" Buffy checked knowing it was odd for the Watcher to just call out of the blue. "I have enough on my plate right now, I can't do an apocalypse too."

"No, it's just the day after Willow's appointment." Giles pointed out. "We had an arrangement you were supposed to ring after the appointment. I waited all yesterday so I decided to call you."

"Oh Giles, I'm sorry. But I have the greatest excuse." Buffy patted her fist against the wall leaning in to check that Willow was completely oblivious. "In fact you better sit down." Her voice went low.

"Greatest news? Well I can cancel my well timed heart attack brought on by the worry that I thought Willow was worse or that she'd been kept in, or something had happened to you Xander, Dawn and Anya." Giles sarcasm was sharp.

"Tara's alive." Buffy met his sarcasm bluntly.

"I beg your pardon." The watcher's voice dropped low.

"Big long story... but you know how her dad said she was a demon well he was sorta telling the truth. She's part demon... part demon that can heal itself if an injury isn't too great." Buffy filled in a little. "She's alive again."

"Good God." There came the small sound of scuffling on the other end of the line.

"I told you to sit down." Buffy chided him as she heard him finally reach a chair.

"Well yes but…" Giles stopped. "Are you sure?"

"I've talked to her, held her very warm hands and listened to her breath. I'm sure." Buffy underlined it too him as she began to fill in the whole story. The usually talkative Watcher barely asked her a question and she managed to get synopsis since Madalene's arrival at the shop out in a few quick minutes. "So when are you arriving?" She tacked on to her words.

"Late tomorrow." Giles replied without hesitation. "There's an early morning flight I can get a seat on I'm sure."

"I'll get Xander to pick you up. We're still on co-ordinated Willow watch." Buffy knew Giles would understand. "And well Tara watch too now.

"How is she?" Giles asked concerned.

"Well her memory is sorta more than patchy, she's getting stronger though. Xander and Anya were going by with clothes and stuff for her." Buffy smiled at the idea of the blonde dressed in something else.

"Buffy really, I, I don't know what to say." It was obvious that the Watcher was at a loss for words.

"Giles neither do I." Buffy reassured him.

"You've not told Willow yet I assume."

"No." The Slayer's uneasiness was obvious in her voice. "I mean how do I tell her without sending her into a total breakdown again?"

"A very good point, we'll work out a strategy when I get there." Giles confirmed.

"Can you do research too? All of what is going on is confusing, Madalene doesn't even have that many answers." Buffy questioned him.

"Well I can try, though I can honestly say its nothing I've ever come across." The Watcher was honest.

"We know, Anya's drawing a total blank. I mean a few thousand years of family history and no one knows anything accept a sketchy story. It worries me, I don't want anything biting me in the ass later cause I didn't look hard enough." Buffy admitted her greatest worry. "This time we're not losing anyone."

"Precisely." Giles was glad his Slayer saw the point.

"Oh and I don't mind if you check out Madalene super witch either okay. Cause she's weird." Buffy gave him the go ahead. "I mean nice cause she was the one who told me what was going on but you know... I don't trust anyone outside of us."

"A wise if sad assumption." Giles assessed.

"Yeah well this is Sunnydale." Buffy summed up.

"How is Willow?" The Englishman sadly brought up the subject of his call.

"She's up and down." Buffy admitted. "She was lucid this morning, but she had a seizure last night cause Dawn had Tara smell on her hair. So we're fighting uphill." She sighed. "The doctor wanted to up her antidepressants but I talked her into giving us another week."

"I have to say this Buffy, all of us, everyone is so very proud of how you are dealing with this." Giles' tone was warm and caring.

"I just wish it hadn't taken Tara dying and Willow losing her mind for me to wake up and take my life seriously Giles." Buffy's voice was soft and sad.

"You went through something huge Buffy, there's no room anywhere here for regrets of any kind." Giles took a breath. "How are you?" He asked in a fatherly way.

"Tara's alive. I am completely overwhelmed." Buffy laughed softly.

"And Spike?" The Englishman put forward the name in a barely audible whisper.

"No ones heard or seen anything of him since before all this went bad." Buffy's voice was indifferent.

"Perhaps things truly are looking up then." Giles joked

"I can hope eh?" Buffy laughed a little with him her spirits picking up.

"Well normally I wouldn't wager much on wishes and hopes, but now." He paused. "Well now I'm not so sure."

"Seems for once the Scoobies have gotten lucky without having to work our butts off." Buffy's voice showed her smile. "I for one am not going to waste it."

Anya carefully helped Tara sit back down on her bed before she picked up the long white button down next to them, holding it up for the blonde to slip her arms through. They had already quite successfully in the demon's opinion gotten Tara out of her funeral clothes and into a long loose flowing pair of dark grey linen pants. A loose light grey tank top contrasted nicely with the white over shirt and as Anya had put forward was both stylish and practical for the blonde's recuperation.

"See that wasn't so bad." Anya grinned as she stepped back.

"It wasn't thank you Anya." Tara gave the demon her best smile as she looked down at her outfit. She was pleased with their choices, feeling a thousand times more comfortable and more alive in the new outfit.

"Now please remember to tell Willow when you mention this that I didn't look at you." Anya sat on the other bed. "I don't want her getting jealous that I saw you naked first after you coming back."

"I'll remember." Her cheeks blushed lightly as Anya spoke. "My lips are sealed."

"Xander should be back with your applesauce soon." Anya looked at the clock. "Though applesauce for lunch should seem like a gourmet meal after just water."

"You know I have no idea why I want applesauce." Tara laughed softly shaking her recently brushed blonde hair.

"I know why. It was one of the only things you'd eat after Glorificus sucked your brain out when you wouldn't tell her that Dawn was the key." Anya relayed the information as she picked lint off her skirt.

Tara just stared at the demon dumbfounded for a moment as the words tumbled into the air around them.

"When who what what?" She asked blinking her blue eyes.

"Glorificus, the hell god who opened the portal that Buffy died jumping into to. She needed Dawn who is really a ball of energy to open it up but she didn't know who the energy was. She tracked you down and did this brain melt thing on you to get the information but you were so brave and didn't tell her. You were out of it for a while till Willow did a spell to put what Glory took back in your head. She found you when you were lost, or that's how you put it when we talked about it." Anya summed up. "You ate lots of applesauce while Willow took care of you."

"I see, well no I don't but I understand on an inform... The trees haven't lost all their leaves yet." Tara suddenly looked up and around at the walls and ceiling of the little room.

"Tara?" Anya looked up at the blonde when she heard the strange words.

"Sorry." Tara blinked and refocused on Anya. "Applesauce, Willow gave me it when I was sick, I see." She tried to catch up but something was pulling at her subconscious making it hard to focus on the demon.

"She took care of you when you were sick, she was so sweet. That's when we all really knew how much in love you two were." Anya continued on figuring the little outburst was nothing important.

"And how long ago was that?" Tara tried to force herself to relax, hoping that Anya's talking would help her focus.

"Year and a bit." Anya began studying Tara's face and particularly her eyes, which seemed to be oddly tracking over the room. "Are you okay?"

"I... I'm sorry." Tara blinked again and tried to fix her eyes on Anya's face.

"Maybe you should lie down?" The demon stood up pointing at the pillow. "You've gone all pale."

"No I think I'm okay it's just..." Tara's focus drifted again. "They're all pretty just like the colour of our hair."

"Why does everyone always go mental when I'm on watch alone." Anya huffed as she gently put her hands to Tara's shoulders and led her to lie down.

Tara let herself ease down, finding her focus slide back into place as the demon looked down at her, concern written over her face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered again her voice shaking a little as worry flooded the blonde's mind.

"It's okay, maybe you need to sleep." Anya reached down to lift the blanket up over her.

"Okay get the extinguishers and a fire blanket, I'm smoking!" Xander threw open the door and more or less pushed Madalene through it, following closely behind before slamming the door shut. Dropping the small bag of shopping on the floor Xander scooted over to the nearest mirror to check that he wasn't actually on fire. Madalene caught her balance and immediately turned around to pat a smoulder patch on his back.

"I didn't ever think they'd keep attacking even while they were on fire." Madalene blew up onto her hot slightly red skin. The young man looked at the reflection of the spellcaster in the mirror and gave her a goofy grin.

"Must like BBQ." He offered.

"Well I feel extra crispy." She laughed.

"Me three." Xander pulled off his sweater and looked at the numerous small burn holes.

"What are you two doing?" Anya looked up at their little display.

"Hey An a little sympathy here, Mads and I just got attacked by flaming bugs, and not Tara Tinkerbell bugs either." He put in with a smile to the pale Wicca.

"Flaming bug." Anya raised an eyebrow at him.

"Bugs." Xander nodded. "Many bugs."

"No, flaming bug on your pant cuff." Anya pointed at the small-ignited body that was crawling up Xander's leg and leaving a trail of black.

"Oh." Xander shook his pant leg. "Die, die bug fiend." He jumped around a little trying to shake off the insect.

"They just won't give up." Madalene took aim and kicked Xander in the shin squishing the bug in the process.

"OW!" Xander yelped but then smiled. "I mean thank you, but…" He leaned down and rubbed his leg. "Ow soccer girl." He said quieter.

"I wish it snowed here." Tara said quietly from the bed.

"You wish it..." Madalene lost her smile as she looked from Xander to Tara. "How long has she been that pale?" She striped off her charred sweater and moved over to the bed.

"Only a few minutes, we got her washed, dressed and settled, she's just tired." Anya shrugged and turned back to look at Xander. "Did the bugs bite you?" She asked of him curious.

"Tara, are you okay?" Madalene focused on the blonde, tracking the erratic paths of her eyes.

"Yeah in several thousand places but not important. What's up with Tara?" He moved over.

"She's only a teeny bit demon and she gets all the attention." Anya tutted under her breath and turned focusing on Tara as well.

"Promise much attention for you later, now back to the recently raised girl." Xander without thinking reached out and put his hand against the flat of Anya's back.

"I..." Anya was about to interject something but stopped as she felt Xander's hand, instead she lost herself looking up at his face longingly.

"I want to be better." Tara whispered not looking at any of them.

"Better how?" Madalene moved closer trying to get Tara to look at her, she kept her voice soft and even.

"Better?" Tara blinked her blue eyes and gave Madalene a startled look not expecting to see the spellcaster so close, in fact not expecting to see her at all.

"You said you wanted to be better and something about snow." Madalene relayed.

"I did?" Tara shook her head having no recollection of it.

"She's said a few odd things." Anya put in as she surreptitiously moved closer to Xander.

"Are you having pain? Are you remembering something?" Madalene questioned trying to figure out what was going on.

"Yes, maybe that's it." Tara closed her eyes for a moment. "Perhaps I'm remembering something."

"Do you're thing with the crystals, it's upsetting to see her in pain." Anya encouraged Madalene.

"Why don't we figure out what's going on first." Madalene smiled at the demon to humour her before she turned back to Tara. "Memories of what?"

"Figure? What's there to figure, she was fine and then she started rambling about glass and trees and snow. It's clear that now she's not fine. Fix her." Anya demanded.

"Tara, what are you feeling?" Madalene pushed the blonde slightly while ignoring Anya.

"Give her time An, she'll do whatever she can." Xander encouraged the demon to give the spellcaster time.

"I feel okay." Tara said suddenly. "Just, not quite." She tried to explain a deep furrow spread over the Wicca's forehead. "I feel somewhere else." Tara finally came up with an explanation that summed up the division in her head.

"Tell me what you feel." Madalene urged her reaching to take the blonde's hand noticing how cold it was.

"I'm not sure, it's like I'm here but I'm not here, I'm somewhere else. And inside I feel." Tara took a deep breath and placed her hand balled up against her chest. Everyone waited for her to continue. "Empty, cold." She struggled for some clearer definition. "Dead." She whispered with sad blue eyes.

"Focus Tara, you're not dead." Madalene spoke instantly. "You're right here with us."

"Xander." Anya squeaked in horror at the words, clinging to the young man for support.

"It's just... it's just like Buffy... a little residual from having to be..."

Xander stammered trying to explain but not knowing how as the words made him worried as well. "Okay Anya's right magic crystal time."

"No." Tara spoke quickly and with an assured tone. "I know this doesn't make sense but this doesn't feel wrong, that is it does, but I feel like I should be feeling it." She hurried to explain before another wave of confusion hit.

This time however the confusion wasn't laced with clarity of any kind, it was just a jumble of flashes of light, noises, images, a cacophony of information that threatened to drown out her very consciousness.

"Lost." She whispered, her voice scared and haunted. "I'm lost."

"I'm phoning Buffy." Xander announced suddenly, patting his hand softly against Anya's body for a moment before he moved towards the phone.

"Lost how?" Madalene questioned trying to understand the cryptic words.

"What's Buffy going to do?" Anya looked at him incredulously. "We can't stake her, Willow will never be normal again if we stake her."

"No staking anyone." Xander shook his head as he picked up the phone. "But Buffy's been through the whole... well dead thing. Maybe she knows what's going on." He dialled the number.

"Lost, can't... breathe." Tara clearly began to panic her blue eyes flashed open as she looked around.

"Okay, okay... enough focusing. Let it go." Madalene put her hands up to either side of Tara's face. "Concentrate with me, you are here, you are not lost, you can breathe." Her words were even and firm.

"Slap her!" Anya encouraged.

"If you don't calm down I'm going to slap you." Madalene snapped at the demon. "It's okay Tara, concentrate on my voice."

"Hi." Buffy's bright voice answered the phone almost instantly.

"Buffy, hi it's Xander." He was so glad she picked up this time. "We need you at the hotel."

"What's happened?" She demanded instantly as her good humour evaporated.

"Well Madalene and I got attacked by a horde of bugs but surprisingly enough not the important bit at the moment, Tara is freaking out." Xander filled her in. "She's gone all pale and is talking funny... about being lost and cold and wanting it to snow."

"Freaking out, what did Anya do?"

"She didn't do anything, well other than helped her get washed and dressed." Xander looked at the pair on the bed, the spellcaster trying her best to get Tara to focus.

"Okay, I'm on my way." Buffy said her brain whirling. "No wait, Xander I can't come." She cursed heavily.

"Well then any clue why she might be doing this?" Xander knew the predicament. "Maybe Willow has a book or something."

"Nothing's jumping to mind. Yeah maybe, give me a second." The sound of Buffy resting the phone down echoed in the receiver for a second.

"Buffy's going to look for something that might help." Xander relayed to them all.

"She threatened to slap me." Anya stated glaring at Madalene.

"An, please don't piss off the spellcaster." Xander gave her a soft smile. "She's doing her best and she won't slap you." Madalene briefly flashed Xander a look that said 'I will if she doesn't shut up'.

In the bed Tara began to shake, underlining the need to do something.

"XANDER!" Buffy's shout called the young man back to the phone.

"WHAT!" Xander shouted back jumping from the sudden scream.

"Willow's gone." Buffy's panted horror filled reply came at a lower decibel. "I have to go."

"Willow's gone where?" Xander bit before she could hang up.

"Shit, shit, shit" The Slayer cursed over and over. "I don't know, I was on the phone to Giles, she was." She stopped. "I have to go." She stated forcefully.

"Oh shit. Go look for her." Xander agreed. "We'll do what we can, phone and tell me what's going on." The phone clicked dead before he finished. "Tiny problem." Xander looked back at the group. "Buffy can't help us."

"Why not?" Anya snapped angrily.

"The Willow is issingmay." Xander stared at his ex-fiancée. "Big roblempay." He tried to keep Tara from knowing what was going on.

"Oh great, for the first time in my life I do the naked lesbian thing and an hour later the world falls apart." Anya threw her hand up in the air flustered.

"I so want to know about that but right now bigger things." Xander's eyes went wide. "Madalene?" He questioned when the spellcaster didn't say anything.

'Tara, Tara can you hear me?' Madalene projected her voice into the blonde's thoughts.

'Yes.' Tara did her best to reply from behind the background noise.

'I know this will be hard at first, but we can speak like this easily when you're stronger. Try to focus with me.' Madalene urged her.

'Too noisy.' Tara's weak reply came through.

'I know, but you can turn noises off.' Madalene focused more to filter out everything on her end but her soft voice. 'First weed out Xander and Anya, then focus down more.'

'Not them.' Tara's disjointed voice came back to Madalene. 'Wind, birds, children.'

"Wait, did you just say Willow is missing?" Madalene turned to Xander. The young man nodded. "I've heard of this... read about it..." She wracked her brain. "Some of us, we have such strong connections to people, lovers in particular... we can sense them, sense their emotions. Would Willow be afraid if she was say wandering in a park?"

"Willow would be afraid if she was wandering in her own bedroom." Anya put in helpfully.

'Tara, you have to listen to me. This isn't your feelings... this is Willow's.' Madalene spoke again to the blonde's mind. 'You have to help her calm down. Buffy is looking for her.'

'Willow's?' Tara's inner voice was stronger as she queried the spellcaster.

'She's wandered from home and is frightened.' Madalene confirmed. 'She needs you to help her.'

'But I don't know Willow, I can't help her, how can I help her?' Tara asked distressed.

'You do know her or else your telepathy would never allow you to hear her. Just focus and help her calm down.' Madalene reassured. 'This is your Willow.'

'Do I do it like I do this?' Tara asked.

'Exactly.' Madalene nodded. 'Just reach out to her, I will help you project your voice.'

Sneaker clad feet shuffled through a light carpet of autumn leaves taking along a slim body that moved through the small forest of the park aimlessly. Frightened green eyes darted from the bright blue sky above to the colours below. It was confusing and disorienting. It wasn't home, wherever home was anymore. It wasn't safe. That the redhead knew innately as the sudden call and flight of a bird made her senses jump out of her skin and she bit down hard on her lip trying not to scream.

'I want to be better.' She thought and begged herself to find some clarity. She knew if she was better, if she wasn't like this she'd be able to find her way. But she couldn't. The trees twisted and turned, some branches seeming to come out like arms trying to snare her. Drag her down, take her in and consume her.

'Willow, Willow.' A tiny voice called out in the wind.

"Who is it?" Willow stopped and turned as the voice broke in through all her fear and panic.

'Willow can you hear me?' The wind whispered again.

"Who are you?" The redhead asked again tripping on a root as she walked backwards and landed hard on the damp ground. "Who are you? I'm afraid!" She whimpered pushing her hands down into the ground to try to keep crawling away.

'Willow, sweetie no, it's ok.' The voice grew softer and yet louder at the same time.

"It's not, I'm lost, I'm lost." Willow sniffled as the soft voice swept in to fill her head.

'I know, I know sweetie, but it's ok. Buffy's coming.' Tara tried to think of something that she could say to still the panic she felt sweep over and over her as she linked with this frightened girl.

Willow turned and curled against the ground crying as she tried to block out the world around her.

'Sshhh.' Tara instinctively flooded the other woman with soothing thoughts and sounds. 'She's coming Willow, she'll take you home.'

"How do you know?" Willow questioned her voice broken by sobs.

For a moment the sound in the wind died as Tara thought about her response.

"HELP ME!" Willow screamed as silence filled everything again and her body started to shake even more with panic. "Get away from me, get away." Feeling something move near her hand she clawed turning over on the ground and pushed off running again before coming to a large tree. She curled up in a ball at the base. "Get away, please don't hurt me."

Tara's world filled again with flairs of panic, pain and fear. In an instant the young Wicca's mind was made up.

'Enough, I'm coming to get you.' She projected the words out.

"Please help me... please..." Willow sobbed as she pulled her arms up over her head trying to make her body as small as possible, hoping she could avoid being seen by the bad things around her.

Tara's arm lashed out and the Wicca gripped hold of the small table beside the bed. Using it to help her, she effectively moved up and around Madalene who was leaned close to her on the bed. Without thinking she pushed up to stand.

"Tara, you can't." Madalene moved around quickly knowing Tara wouldn't be able to stand. "You're not well enough."

"I have to." Tara's legs buckled almost instantly her other hand flailing out trying to find something to catch hold of to steady herself. Xander was there in an instant helping the spellcaster keep her upright.

"Have to what? You know where Willow is?" He questioned looping her arm over his shoulder.

Tara turned to look at him grateful for his instant support. She nodded wordlessly. She did know, or at least she could feel where and she needed to be there.

"To the car." Xander motioned for Anya to get the door and the demon moved to comply.

"Hello is this really smart? Hordes of locusts just chased Xander and me. I'm not sure this is a great idea." Madalene tried to inject some logic.

"She needs me." Tara struggled to move her objecting limbs forward.

"It's a Scooby rule." Xander leaned down and scooped the blonde up into his arms. "Someone needs us and we scoff in the face of danger. You'll get used to it."

"Okay so I'm driving... now where?" Xander went down the road looking in the rear view mirror at Tara and Madalene. The spellcaster was looking very pensive and not at all happy. He had to admit as they drove around aimlessly that he was starting to think that maybe she had a point. At least no more bugs had come out of the trees to attack them yet.

"Right, no, no left." Tara growled in frustration. "I don't know." Tears sprung to her eyes. "I don't know this place." Barred sobs cracked her voice in her throat but she didn't let them break.

"Xander stop for a minute." Madalene instructed in a firm voice and she wasn't really surprised when he pulled over the car.

"Despite me not agreeing with this whole plan..." She fumbled around in her purse. "I just get sucked in by you people." She held a crystal out to Tara. "Hold this to your forehead." She reached to pull the one she wore around her throat up. "My telepathy is more stable than yours, you can borrow."

Tara looked at the dark haired woman and the crystal in turn as if not understanding.

"You might not remember anything right now but you're a witch. Almost every woman in our family line is. Hold it to your forehead above your eyes, it's a focal point. Then we hold hands and you channel your power through mine to amplify your accuracy." Madalene explain as she neatly tied hers in place. "It's like what I was doing to help you with the pain, accept backwards. This time I'm not drawing what you feel into me, you're using me to project yourself out."

"Okay." With one hand Tara held the crystal in place with the other she reached out towards Madalene.

"Wait." Anya interrupted reaching back from her place in the front seat. "Linking with you won't help at all, you know about as much about Sunnydale and good places in it to get lost in as I know about tact, which believe me isn't a lot." She looked pointedly at Madalene. "Can it be noted that I could have said or about as much as Xander knows about commitment or love, but I didn't because we are in a perilous situation and I can help." She nodded around at everyone. "Take my hand Tara, I know Sunnydale, I can translate your little mind pictures into place names."

"She's not strong enough to project her telepathy to you yet." Madalene's right eye twitched as she sighed and then held out her hand to Anya. "Looks like this has to be a three way link."

"Girls I don't care if I have to enlist strangers okay, we need to get Willow now." Xander urged them to hurry the whole procedure up.

"This is magic not kink." Anya pointed out to Xander as she clambered over the central space into the car to the back seat. She wiggled herself into a wedge between the two girls.

"Ok, let's do it." With a united breath the girls closed their eyes and joined hands.

It had been an erratic and frantic drive at first but slowly had got used to Anya's slightly disembodied voice trying to direct him through small pictures and interpretations of where in Sunnydale they should go.

Their first clue that the hacker was near trees hadn't done much to help them as they all knew Sunnydale had a lot of trees. But slowly the linked women in his back seat had managed to broaden their visions and had directed him here.

"Okay what now? I can't drive through the middle of it." He turned as he shut the car off as he pulled into the parking lot of the park.

"We go on foot." Anya pulled her hand free of the others suddenly. "She's close enough now to find her without our help." The demon assessed, but then she glanced at Tara. "Well apart from the none walking thing." She admitted. "Beady eyes can carry you." She leaned over and pushed open the door next to Tara.

"I'm assuming that's me." Xander jumped out of his side and moved to pick Tara up again.

"What does this Willow look like?" Madalene moved out of her side of the car. "Cause I might have trouble finding her if I don't know that."

"You can't find her, it has to be someone she knows." Tara looked over to Madalene as she looped her arms around Xander's neck. The Wiccan's voice was tired, as was her eyes.

"She's got this whole stranger freak out thing." Xander tried to put it nicely.

"And you're strange." Anya pointed out as she began heading towards the trees looking back for Xander to follow.

"So I'll just stay here and keep looking out for another horde of bugs then." Madalene cursed looking nervously around.

"That would actually be helpful. Oh and Buffy, whose head might be exploding." Xander smiled at her as they moved off towards the tree line.

"Xander have you actually thought how we're going to do this?" Anya drew up beside the dark haired young man and whispered as quietly as she could.

"Not particularly." He whispered back as they entered the forest.

"Well surely I'm not the only one thinking that walking up to a screwball Willow with her 'dead' lover in your arms rates low on the good idea scorecard." She hissed at him.

"We really don't have a choice do we?" Xander looked at her unable to come up with another scenario.

"It's alright. She doesn't have to see me." Tara whispered from Xander's arms.

"Its not that she won't want to see you Tara, it's just. If she's having one of her upset moments she..." Xander tried to explain. He stopped himself as he looked at the tired blonde in his arms. "Don't worry it'll be fine."

"No, I mean it." Tara shook her head. "Right down there." She instructed after closing her blue eyes for a moment. "Put me down, somewhere near that rock." She nodded forwards.

"Are you sure?" Xander moved over to the rock and carefully moved to put Tara down in a sitting position.

"Yes, she's close, I... I need to rest." Tara explained her breath a bit laboured. "You can find her from here." Tara reached up momentarily and closed her hand around Xander's. "She's ok." She promised before letting it go and leaning her head back her blue eyes closing.

"Okay, you stay right here." He nodded and reluctantly Xander moved off with Anya calling Willow's name as they frantically tried to find the redhead.

Ever so slowly Willow opened her eyes. Her bottom lip shook against her teeth as she began to appraise the world around her. The darkness that had been chasing her had cleared for a moment. The multitude of colours around her toned down to a more soft confusion as sunlight filtered through the canopy above her. The once grabbing angry arms were now again only branches swaying in the wind. She uncurled her clenched hands, a little surprised at the sight of dirt caked under her fingernails and streaked down her arms.

Finally pushing up to stand on her shaky legs she began to look around, a small part of brain trying to figure out where she was. She didn't understand what was going on though. She'd been so afraid, so very afraid and then there had been the little voice. A little voice she'd never heard before telling her she was safe, so safe and that it was coming to help her.

"Where are you?" Willow whispered as she took a few tentative steps forward.

Putting her hands up to the trunk of another large tree something drew her forward. Something made her keep walking despite the fact that every echo of the forest made her nerves screech against one another inside.

Slowly, afraid of what may lie in the next clearing she eased her head around the trunk to look past it. A tousle of red hair and only one green eye was visible before she darted back behind the tree.

There was someone there. She'd only seen the toe of a black boot, but that meant someone was there. Her breath rose harder in her throat, only to grow more constant when the little voice seemed to echo its words in her head again and she found the strength to look back around.

"Tara?" Willow whispered with her head poked out from behind the truck of the large oak as from her spot she could finally make out the figure of the blonde about twenty feet in front of her leaned against a rock.

Parts of the redhead's brain battled against one another. One knew this couldn't be true, her Tara, her heart was dead and buried, long buried. But this woman, this creature of the forest was exactly like Tara in every way. Even the very echo within her body from the blonde's aura was the same it had been when Tara was alive.

Willow felt her breathing come in and out of her lungs in a staggered way as her eyes studied every detail before her. She was afraid to even move as if Tara was a hallucination that would disappear if she disturbed her. Her hand shook against the tree as she slowly rounded it and pushed off to begin a quiet approach towards the blonde. Her movements were painfully slow, as if she was a small rodent venturing into the grass under the eye of a cunning hawk. The only sound that she made was the light scratching of her sneakers through the leaves as she shuffled closer.

'Maybe I did die, maybe the bad things in the forest got to me, maybe Buffy was too late.' She felt thoughts whirl around at a million miles a minute. 'But it's okay, even if I am. Tara's here, Tara came to meet me. It's all better now.'

Tara had been dimly aware that something was approaching, but she had neither the energy nor the focus to do anything about and nothing in her inner essence caused her to start or worry about what it was. In fact nothing in her even flinched, not even when the soft footfalls sounded so close to her that she could feel the disturbance in the leaves on the forest floor.

Stopping within reach of the blonde Willow eased down onto her knees. Everything was okay now. Tara had come to bring her home again. She leaned her body forward and gently tucked down, the last of her movements bringing her head down to rest on the blonde's lap.

"Home." She whispered as she closed her eyes content for whatever oblivion to take her and stop the plain.

"Willow?" Tara didn't open her eyes as she felt something light come to rest against her lap. Her hand shook as she forced enough energy into it to move it and lightly place it on what she knew was a crown of soft red hair. "Oh Sweetie." She whispered, letting her fingers trail through strands of red before she gave in to the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion within her.

"What do you mean you cant remember where you put Tara either and no, don't give me the 'all the trees look the same speech." Anya stood stock-still and glared at Xander. "And to think I was actually beginning to like you again."

"I am doing my best Anya." Xander rolled his eyes. "I've ran in so many circles I'm lucky that I didn't turn into a squirrel."

"You do realise that if while we have been aimlessly wandering something big and bad has crawled out of the woods and eaten Tara, Buffy will kill you." Anya pointed out matter-of-factly.

"I will kill both of you." Buffy came around from a tree with Madalene in tow. She'd stumped across the spellcaster as she dashed across the parking lot. "Now where did you leave her?"

"It was a clearing with a big stone." Anya filled in for her ex who was stood there not sure what to say.

"Well I can't do my little star spell until it's dark." Madalene looked up to the sky apologising to Buffy.

"Then we keep looking." Buffy seemed confident though inside she was shaking with worry. Now both Tara and Willow were missing, this was not a good thing her books at all.

"It was Tara's idea Buffy." Xander skipped forward the coward in him gaining headway over the rest. "Not ours. We didn't want her put in danger." He tried to catch the Slayer's eyes as she strode off into the trees again.

"Put the girl who can't walk down by a rock Xander, not the smartest move I've ever heard." Buffy snapped off a branch in her way. "I mean what do we expect now... best case scenario is Willow has found..." She stopped dead in her tracks her eyes wide. "Tara and is curled up in her lap." She finished her voice squeaking in shock.

"Now come on Buffy that's like story book stuff…" Xander mocked before stumbling to a halt next to his friend.

"Okay someone pinch me." She whispered as she took in the scene with complete disbelief.

"I'll do you if you do me." Xander flashed her a grin.

"Seems they didn't need us after all." Madalene added softly as she came to rest at the Slayer's shoulder.

"Well would you look at that." Anya said not lowering her voice at all.

"An Honey, less with the volume." Xander turned and put his finger to his lips.

"We should get them home. You still have to tell me about this bug thing." Buffy took a relieved breath.

"I am not your honey." Anya put a hand on her hip and scowled.

"You want Willow and I get Tara?" Xander ignored the comment and looked at Buffy.

"If we can pry them apart." Buffy smiled happily as they moved closer. Though if she was honest, she wished her Slayer strength involved being to carry them as they were.

Xander looked around at the four women in the room with him and smiled nervously. Everyone had been really quite since they'd gotten back and tucked the two sleeping beauties upstairs. Dawn had come home from school just shortly after they had and with a short synopsis the teenager was now up to speed on what was going on.

"What happens now?" Dawn's question was small as she looked at Buffy.

"Giles is on his way, hopefully he'll have some answers." Buffy put forward blindly. "I don't know really Dawn." She put her hand over her sister's.

"Will Willow be alright, when she wakes up I mean, will she be like Willow before." Dawn immediately turned her hand and held onto Buffy's.

"It's not that easy Dawnie, but she's got help to get better now." Buffy reached up and hugged an arm around her sister knowing the teenager was worried.

"I don't like to be the one to mention this." Anya looked around for a long moment. "You know because it always seems to be more who brings the mood down." She elaborated. "But…" She bit her lip slightly and looked at Xander. "Burning Bugs." She stated pointing to his pants.

"Oh God I forgot." He looked at Madalene who was sitting stiffly in a chair away from bulk of the group cradling her arm slightly. "Are you okay? You hurt your arm."

"Hurt what when?" Buffy caught up to Xander's words.

"I hit it off the side of a phone booth." The spellcaster explained. "We were running from the horde of bugs that tried to eat Xander and I at the Seven Eleven."

"All true." Xander nodded to back her up. "It was like fast food but in reverse." He turned again to Madalene. "Really Mads I'm sorry." He underlined again. "I can run you to the clinic."

"No it's fine, it's gotten hot already it's healing." The brunette shook her head to his kind worry.

"Let me at least wrap it up." Buffy squeezed Dawn and moved over to get the medical kit.

"How does it do that?" Dawn screwed her nose up as Buffy made her way over to the spellcaster.

"I'm not really sure." Madalene smiled at the teenager. "Like a fever when you have an infection, our bodies get hot as a way to induce the healing."

"All of you or just the hurt bit?" Dawn pushed for details.

"Just the hurt bit mostly, unless it's a big hurt enough to put us into hibernation." She put her arm out at the Slayer's prompting and let Buffy begin wrapping it.

"Does it hurt?" Dawn watched carefully.

"It does." Madalene frowned. "But I'm sorta wussy about pain I have to admit."

"But she's great with the big ball o' fire." Xander moved close beside the teenager and gave her a shoulder hug." I think it must be drinks time." He looked at Dawn and then through to the kitchen.

"Oh for goodness sake." Anya scoffed. "Is there any wonder this girl has the problems she does." The demon moved as Dawn did towards the kitchen. "Sending her out when you want to talk about bad things does nothing to help you know that don't you?" She moved out of the room to catch up with Dawn.

"It wasn't that big a ball, when all the bugs started catching fire it managed to look a lot bigger than it was." Madalene admitted that it hadn't been her design.

"Big flaming bug ball." Xander drew his arms in a wide circle to demonstrate to the Slayer.

"Okay more detail Xander." Buffy continued to wrap the slim arm surprised but somewhat comforted to feel the same burning heat coming from Madalene's skin that had come from Tara's.

"There were bugs, lots of bugs, locusts, loci, what is the plural of locust?" He screwed his face up.

"Locust." Madalene helped him. "They were magical, or at least magically imbued."

"Magic Locust." Xander underlined with a shiver. "Chased us into a telephone booth and then back to the hotel room, while still on fire. Then I guess they must have…" He looked at Madalene with a shrug. "Just gone away?" He offered knowing how lame it sounded.

"Well looks like we got research to do." Buffy put the small metal clips in to hold the bandage in place. "Do you mind relocating here?" She questioned the spellcaster though her face didn't really scream you have a choice but at least the Slayer was trying to be polite.

"I don't want to impose." Madalene shook her head. "But I would like to be close to Tara."

"Buffy is that such a good idea?" Xander put in.

"We're just going to talk in the dining room, two seconds." Buffy grabbed him by the arm and led him in. "What else are we supposed to do?" She questioned him immediately.

"I was thinking of Willow, what if she wakes up and is all 'ah ah, dead girlfriend, ah ah' ish?" Xander explained waving his hands around his head for emphasis.

"What can we do? Sooner or later she has to know and she didn't seem to ah ah ahish when she curled up in Tara's lap right?" Buffy whispered back.

"She looked kinda asleep then Buffy." Xander hated to point out the obvious. "And what about Tara? Am I the only one noticing that the walls in the bathroom had more colour than her when I carried her in?"

"So you want to split them up?" Buffy tried to find out where he stood.

"I don't know what what's for the best." He admitted. "I don't wanna overwhelm either of them. Tara's still so weak, and Will's..." His voice trailed off.

"I don't know either Xander but the whole way home Willow wouldn't move more than a few inches from her. I can't split them up." Buffy shook her head. "Not unless one of them does the ah ah ah' ish." She waved her hands around as he had.

"I guess I loose my bed in the basement." He gave Buffy a supportive smile.

"No, I can bunk with Dawn and Madalene can stay in my room." Buffy put her hand up to his shoulder.

"And Anya?" Xander pointed out. "We think she's going to step outside the action ring?"

"Well if you give her your bed is up to you." Buffy smiled at him. "You know in a nice... I still love you and I messed up way." She poked him.

"Hey we're got Tara back, I think asking Anya to forgive me is looking for one two many miracles." He smiled but sadly. "You should probably check." He pointed a finger upwards to the ceiling.

"Okay. Can you take care of Madalene?" Buffy questioned. "She seems to like you best."

"I know it's hard but I kinda like Witchy woo." Xander admitted to the Slayer hoping she might ease up a bit.

"Is there anything else I need to know about the bugs?" Buffy checked moving closer to the doorway. "I mean it's a bit odd you two got jumped in mid morning daylight by magical bugs."

"Nothing. Just literally from slurpy slushy goodness one minute, to angry buzzing magical bugs the next." Xander shrugged, it wasn't something he could readily explain.

"I think maybe your witchy woo is getting a bit of unwanted attention. We better keep an eye on her." Buffy said honestly.

"And I thought I was the only one drawing the obvious conclusions." He tried to smile.

"Give me a freebie today." Buffy laughed. "I'll go check on the sleepy beauties."

Buffy gently pushed the ajar door to the bedroom open and checked the two figures on the bed were asleep before she walked in. Her heart instantly leapt into her throat when she saw the way that the two small bodies were wound together. For an instant it seemed so hard to believe that one of them was recently raised from three months in a grave and the other was barely hanging onto her daily sanity.

Willow was not in her usually awkward drug induced pose, but was instead curled into Tara's body, tucked in by an arm that held the redhead tight. Tara as well seemed more relaxed in her sleep as she leaned into the small body against her.

"I'm not asleep." A small voice called out to the Slayer by the doorway.

"Oh... sorry. I didn't mean to barge in." Buffy whispered a little embarrassed. "I wanted to check if you needed anything."

"I'm guessing this is your house, there is no question of barging in." Tara spoke softly, but didn't move her body in the slightest. "And no, I don't need anything." She added.

"But this is your room." Buffy corrected her. "The room you and Willow shared."

Very slowly blue eyes opened to appraise the information she was being given. The walls were fairly bare, without much in the way of decoration or accent. The mottled wallpaper behind was a soft blend of pastel colours giving the idea of impressionistic flowers of some sort though none of the design was distinct enough to pick a specific type. At the far end of the room she could see the floor was carpeted with a beige thick pile, and the curtains were hung with only light white shears.

"You've changed it though haven't you?" Tara looked at Buffy.

"We had too. We couldn't get her back into it until we had." Buffy admitted moving around the bed closer to the blonde.

"I can't imagine how hard that must have been." Tara admitted putting a little more effort into the hold she had on the redhead's body.

"It's all worth it now." Buffy shook her head to any worry. "Is she okay?" She looked at Willow.

"She's sleeping." Tara replied casting her eyes down to Willow. "I did my best to even things here." She moved a hand and drew a light circle on Willow's temple. "But it's going to take time and work, I can't manage it all yet." Tara's voice drifted a little.

"You can get in her head?" Buffy questioned her brow furrowing a bit in confusion as she knelt down by the bed.

"It's not like that." Tara shook her head slightly. "It's like I have my thoughts, my feelings, what's going on with me here, at the front and then a little like an echo, or a reflection, behind them I feel Willow." She tried to explain.

"Love." Buffy attempted to explain it as she much as she could figure.

"And so much more." Tara nodded. "She's beautiful isn't she?" She glanced down again at Willow.

"She is... but I think you and I have different basis for our appraisal."

Buffy smirked a little. "Can we make her well again?" She questioned unfairly.

"She's not sick Buffy, she's lost." Tara replied succinctly.

"And you can find her." Buffy swallowed not sure if she could handle Tara disagreeing with her.

"It's not just about me." Tara underlined, her voice and eyes suddenly dropped. "I've seen what she did Buffy." The words were tiny as they passed through Tara's lips.

"It wasn't Willow, not really." Buffy stood up for her friend. "She sounded like Willow and she looked sorta like Willow but our Willow was already so lost by then."

"Yes, she was." Tara moved her hand back and moved it through red locks. "We have things we need to talk about Buffy, you and I." She added quietly.

"Like?" The Slayer tried not to show her concern as the blonde spoke.

"Not now." Tara shook her head. "She's going to be awake soon."

"But you're going to stay right?" She checked unable to find enough confidence not too.

"The only way I will leave is if she wants me to." She promised the Slayer as slowly, almost painfully or so it seemed Tara leaned and kissed the top of Willow's head.

"I promise you we'll talk, about anything you want too." Buffy vowed swallowing hard as she felt her eyes get hot with happy tears.

"Thank you." Tara whispered, leaning back a little and closing her blue eyes again.

Willow felt the tendrils of sleep slipping out of her mind and for the first time in as long as she could remember she didn't feel her body fighting against medication. In fact for the first time she wasn't fighting against sleep at all, she wanted to stay asleep. She wanted to hold onto the feeling of a warm body against her, Tara's warm body against hers.

"You can open your eyes sweetie, I'm still here." Tara whispered ever so quietly.

"Are you?" Willow whispered. "Am I still dreaming?"

"I am, but it's not a dream." The blonde replied. "Here." Carefully, using much of her regained strength Tara reached and lifted Willow's hand placing it on her chest so that the slow regular thump of her heart could be felt through the layers of material and skin.

"But... but... you're dead." Willow's body shook slightly and she still hadn't opened her eyes.

"Easy, easy." Tara left Willow's hand where it was and somehow managed to move hers round to rub the redhead's back. "I came back." She said slowly. "Breathe, breathe, that's it sweetie." Tara instructed carefully and calmly.

"B-B-B..." Willow hugged tighter her mind trying to focus on the heartbeat that sounded beneath her hand. "Am I in the hospital again?" She whispered afraid to believe her own senses.

"No." Tara assured her.

"I don't care how your back." Willow hugged tighter.

"It's a long story that we'll learn together." Tara promised using all the strength she could summon to return Willow's hug

'Madalene?' Tara knew her projected voice was little more than a whisper 'Madal..."

'Tara, yes? Do you need help?' Madalene's voice came back into the blonde's head immediately.

'Buffy would be good.' Tara pushed out the request trying to figure out how she could do this but finding only that she simply could.

'I'll send her up.' The spellcaster assured in a soft response.

No more than fifteen seconds later Buffy appeared in the doorway to the bedroom, her face pale and her eyes fully of worry.

"It's ok." Tara took a breath but spoke quickly. "Though perhaps I should have called for two of you." The Wicca tried to smile, but in reality she was too tired to make it look genuine.

"What's up?" Buffy questioned still looking worried.

"And you did call two of us." Madalene came up beside the Slayer having been unable to resist coming upstairs.

"Well I need to..." Tara looked off towards the door of the bathroom. "And Willow's kinda." She looked down at the limpet like redhead as she explained.

"Buffy you should look after Willow and I can help Tara." Madalene smiled at the Slayer.

"Right ok." Buffy moved forward slightly looking at the way her best friend was hanging onto the blonde for dear life. 'Give me the good jobs why don't you?' She thought to herself as she moved closer to the bed.

"Ok Willow, ease off." Buffy reached out and put her hand over Willow's arm. The redhead groaned but didn't move. "We just need to let Tara go just for a second or so." Buffy continued talking as she pulled lightly on the thin arm to lift it from Tara's body.

"Sorry." Tara apologised as Buffy was forced to more or less climb over the Wicca into a place closer to Willow as her best friend didn't really uncurl or relax at all.

"My dream, go away." Willow groaned again in her sleep though she didn't move an inch.

"Okay Will." Buffy took another light breath moving to get a better hold on the surprising strong hacker. "After three Madalene ok?"

"Three." Madalene moved to the other side of the bed to help the blonde.

"Ok Tara?" Buffy checked with the Wicca who nodded clumsily dragging her aching arm from around Willow's back. "Ok, one, two, three."

With a small groan, Buffy pulled Willow up and away from Tara and at the same time Madalene eased Tara away and pulled her up.

"Which way?" Tara asked shyly leaning heavily on the spellcaster's support.

"Buffy?" Madalene questioned the Slayer.

"Oh God sorry." Buffy suddenly clicked in, she had been too busy looking at the still motionless redhead in her arms. "Right through there, can't miss it."

"This way." Madalene helped Tara into the bathroom.

The entire procedure had probably taken about five minutes, with the necessity of the visit outweighing either woman's nervousness. Madalene had only really spoke to remind Tara they were family and that she had travelled along way to help, whatever helping entailed.

Carefully while Madalene helped the blonde stand at the sink and wash her hands she finally spoke again.

"Do you need anything?" She questioned as they towelled off the blonde's fingers.

"Reassurance." Tara replied honestly.

"That you're doing the right thing?" Madalene questioned wanting to have the field narrowed before she answered.

"Yes." The blonde breathed out the small word.

"I think so. Tara, you have been given such a gift here. To reclaim the people you love and to have your life back. I am so jealous, when I rose I had no one." The brunette's words were soft.

"But is it better this way?" Tara asked as a slightly troubled frown creased her brow.

"Than being alone, feeling scared and lost?" Madalene smiled softly. "Yes."

"I'm still alone scared and lost." Tara replied, her voice full of almost shame.

"But you have hope." Madalene pointed out.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be like this." Tara shook her head.

"Tara, there is no should be." Madalene contradicted. "There are no rules here."

"No, but there are other people to think about." Tara replied softly.

"People to be honest Tara who from the first minute this was mentioned have been nothing than ecstatic that you're back and more than happy to face whatever adversity comes with it." The spellcaster's voice was soft.

"I need to get stronger." Tara said resolutely.

"That takes rest and sleep." Madalene nodded. "We can try some exercises and spells to help strengthen you."

"I don't want it to take time." Tara snarled somewhat through frustration.

"I wish I could do more." Madalene frowned.

"No, no again I'm sorry." Tara realised how badly this was probably coming across. "You've done so much."

"I still wish I could do more." Madalene smiled at her. "I had hoped to make this so much easier for you, so much easier than it was for me."

"I'm not sure any of us got easy cards this life." Tara admitted as Madalene helped her shuffle to the door. "Least of all for either of them." She nodded forward slightly to the sight of Buffy and Willow still on the bed.

"Come on Willow?" Buffy said softly. "How about we get into a better sleepy position for when Tara gets back."

"Tara is back." Madalene prompted softly as she helped the blonde sit down again.

"Oh right." Buffy looked up at the two witches.

"Do you want me to position her?" Buffy questioned Tara as Madalene helped her fully lie down.

"Has she moved or said anything?" Tara asked glancing between Buffy and her lover.

"Moaned about not giving up you or ever waking up." Buffy admitted.

"Willow, Willow sweetie do you need anything?" Tara asked the apparently sleeping redhead in response to Buffy's reply.

"Uhhhh." Willow ungracefully moved away from Buffy and snuggled into Tara's side again.

"Thank you both of you." Tara glanced between both Buffy and Madalene.

"We already established this. We're not thank you friends." Buffy smiled at the blonde more than impressed by how comfortable Tara could make Willow even when the redhead was asleep.

"Tell Dawnie I love her." Tara called as the slayer and the spellcaster moved to the door.

"I will." Buffy nodded. "You do that mind thing again if you need us okay?"

Tara nodded and then turned her attention completely away from the retreating women. She looked lovingly down at Willow and leant her head against her lovers. Holding her as tightly as she could the blonde kissed the forehead so close to her tenderly and then introduced a gentle rock into their embrace, softly humming 'Baby Mine' as she closed her eyes and relaxed once more.

-x-

The night was fairly warm, even though the hot days of summer were quickly turning into the cooler more tempered days of fall. The Summers house had fallen into a quite rhythm, with a quick trip to the hotel in order to gather up everyone's stuff before they'd all sat down to pizza. The entire time had been very sedate, with conversation attempting to revolve around anything other than the two women upstairs.

Xander had been trying to do a decent go between the core Scoobies and Madalene only to have everything blow up with Buffy's sudden need to 'go out' which left everyone uncomfortable. Even Anya had become suddenly at a loss for words as she obviously tried to not mention where Buffy was going.

It hadn't been long after the Slayer leaving that the spellcaster had retreated to the front porch, under the guise of meditation. Or at least Xander had seen it as an excuse to get away from everyone, so after a respectable 'alone' time of two hours he knew it was time to follow out and check on her.

"Wow, the stars, aren't the stars bright tonight." Xander tried to cut the silence with a cheery comment as he sat down on the front porch and looked over to where Madalene stood leaning on a tree drawing in a long lungful of air. "All bright and twinkly, just like good stars should be." He jabbered.

"They are lovely." Madalene smiled as she stretched her arms up a little.

"I'm guessing this is all hard for you." Xander broached the subject carefully as he scuffed his toe on the bottom step nervously.

"Hard as in being the only one here that doesn't know each other for the last bit of forever or the general being back from the dead?" Madalene questioned without malice but wanting to understand what he was worried about for her.

"Kinda none of those. More the watching Tara go though what you went through." Xander clarified his feelings.

"Oh that... more strange than hard." She answered honestly. "Especially since I wish I had more answers for everyone rather than seeming like the girl with no answers."

"Sometimes…" Xander said thoughtfully. "Sometimes answers aren't so important." He shrugged.

"Thank you." Madalene smiled softly at him.

"Thank me?" Xander looked up surprised.

"For giving me a chance, you're the only one who doesn't watch my every move like I'm going to steal the furniture or something." Madalene offered. "I mean not that I blame anyone."

"Hey I look at it this way." The young man shrugged again. "I figure if you're a top level witch and you turn out to be a bad guy, pretty much all I can hope to do is get out alive. I've faced a top-level bad guy witch, until then though you're just like the rest of us poor saps. That get used by the stupid life and then dumped or not in your case." He edited softly.

"I'm not sure who or who I might not have gotten dumped by to be honest. I wasn't as lucky as Tara when it came to memories." Madalene moved over and sat down on the porch step.

"Clean slate huh?" Xander pushed up from his place and wandered down the front path a little.

"Just a letter with a name and a reason why this was happening to me, if it happened." The spellcaster looked up at him.

"I had the memory thing happen to me once." Xander mused trying to relate. "Well just for a few hours." He outlined. "But that was enough."

"It gets very old very quickly I assure you." She smiled sadly.

"But your life now, its better right?" The dark haired man checked. "I mean you have new friends, a new life."

"I don't know. Better than what I had? I have no idea." Madalene shook her head. "I haven't made many friends." She admitted quietly to answer his hidden assumption.

"Sorry, I'm not so good at this conversation thing." Xander apologised jumping up a little and grabbing a branch from the over hanging tree.

"It's okay, I'm the intimidating one remember." Madalene tried to ease his guilt. "I'm not sure if I was before, but apparently I am now."

With a sharp brittle 'snap' the branch broke free and dropping to the grass much to Xander's obvious surprise. He leapt back and looked at Madalene feeling guilty.

"Oops." He gave a nervous giggle.

"Mother nature is going to get back at you for that one." She chided him with a laugh and he relaxed a little.

"Hey who's wrecking my yard?" Buffy's voice called to the pair brightly as the Slayer appeared on the sidewalk a few houses down.

"It wasn't wrecking so much as…" He searched his brain rapidly as the Slayer got closer. "Clearing out dead wood, right Mads?" He looked to the spell caster and to the fallen branch

"He was showing off his superior carpentry skills. He's going to make a spice rack out of that." She gave a smirk as Buffy came to a stop on the grass nearby.

"Yeah." Xander nodded emphatically as he bounced down on his haunches reaching out towards the fallen branch.

"I think I need a new st..." Buffy was about to say stake but stopped herself as she remembered she hadn't quite gotten to tell Madalene about her chosen one status. "Spice rack for sure."

She looked down to Xander as he moved closer to the branch about to question if the branch was big enough to make an entire spice rack when her words stopped short. It took her senses a moment to clue into the fact that the apparent branch had a head and beady angry eyes looking at her as he reached towards the branch's tail.

"Xander!" Buffy threw herself at him and tackled him before he could touch the snake.

"Oh my... snake." Madalene heard a high hiss come out of the former branch and began backing up the steps on her hands and feet.

"I'm ok, I'm ok." Xander panted as he flipped over to watch as the snake began a slow winding path across the grass. "Kill it." He added looking at Buffy.

"I don't do snakes, I do vampires." Buffy rolled up to her feet and made a dash towards it as it made a line to the stairs and the spellcaster who sat on them.

"It has fangs." Xander pointed out the similarity.

On cue the greyish brown snake lifted its head opening its fang filled mouth as it appraised Madalene.

"Oh no you don't!" Buffy grabbed onto its tail and dragged it backwards, the muscular body contorting in her hand. Feeling itself grabbed the snake turned back on the Slayer hissing as it reared up taking aim at her. She immediately released it and backed away.

"Okay who ordered the killer snake?" She kept eye contact with it trying to judge its strike.

"Mother nature." Xander replied moving round towards the porch to put himself in front of Madalene.

"Since when..." Buffy timed it perfectly as the snake shot out at her leg and she snapped her hand down grabbing it by the head just behind its jaw. "Do we have big killer tree snakes in Sunnydale?" She squeezed really hard until the tail stopped wiggling and withering.

"I swear Buffy that thing was a branch." Xander stared at the thick snake long after it had stopped moving

"It was." Madalene backed him up.

"Yeah I know, which means Scooby meeting right now. I think it's time for Madalene to tell us who might have it in for her." Buffy gave the snake a once over to make sure it was dead before she walked towards them still carrying it.

Xander was about to reach for the door when it swung open to have Dawn framed in the backlight from the living room.

"What's going on?" She asked her eyes wide and worried.

"We had a little visitor." Buffy waved the snake.

"EW!" Dawn squeaked and backed out of the way.

"We're having a meeting." Buffy went past her sister and called to Anya to come into the dining room as the others followed.

The group silently gathered around the table staring as Buffy dropped the dead reptile onto the table for them all to see.

"Okay so we've had a horde of bugs and a shape shifting snake. None of which we've had before, so Madalene anyone you might be running from?" The Slayer questioned bluntly.

"Ease up Buffy." Xander leaned forward a little glancing at the Slayer.

"I assure you that I have in no way ran here away from anything." Madalene met her with a cold voice. "I only came to find and help Tara."

"Well who ever wants her out of the picture means it." Anya said dispassionately from her place near the end of the table and immediately got the patented 'continue' look from the Slayer. "Oxyuranus microlepidotus," The vengeance demon explained nodding towards the scaly corpse before them all. "Or an Inland Taipan if you want its common name. It's the most toxic land snake in the world, many times more dangerous than the Cobra which by the way is way to common for me to use."

"An, honey what you talking about?" Xander almost hated to be the one to ask.

"The snake, its a Taipan." Anya explained again. "One of my better vengeances I turned a mans penis into one." She smiled proudly.

"I'm getting drinks!" Dawn blushed and dashed off towards the kitchen.

"So whoever sent this snake wants to kill Mads that's what you're saying?" He questioned turning a shade of green at the idea of having that happen to him.

"What?" Anya glanced around unabashed. "If he hadn't have been so fond of stroking his own penis he wouldn't have died. What?" She looked at Xander realising he'd spoken to her.

"Other than poor boys trying to go blind, you think that someone sent this to kill Madalene?" He tried again.

"I think we already worked that bit out. The question is why do they want her dead." Buffy chimed in.

"Obviously someone wanted someone dead." Anya huffed. "Oh and I am not your honey." She snapped looking at Xander.

"Sorry." He lowered his eyes a bit.

"I have no idea who would want me dead." Madalene filled into the conversation her face a bit pale. "I don't have any enemies... well none that I know of."

"Well obviously you have one." Buffy couldn't help but interject.

"Let me point out again something to everyone." Madalene stood up pointedly. "I have no recollection of one or any, there is quite possibly a thousand people or things out there that want me dead but I have no idea about any of them. I am a lone woman raised from the dead who has no idea what happened to me other than I died and I have nothing in this world."

She stepped away and pushed in her chair. "So perhaps you would like to look a little further than me as I can't provide you with any answers. Though I am left with the question of exactly what is the origin of your apparent unnatural strength and speed Miss. Summers." She turned and left the dining room. "Or do I assume that is another piece of information that you will accuse me of knowing and not being willing to remember."

The room went silent and everyone jumped as the front door slammed shut to mark the brunette's exit.

"You just pissed off a powerful witch Buffy, the last time you did that you wrecked my store. Please don't do that again." Anya turned back to look at the Slayer after a few more moments of silence.

"Look." Buffy sighed heavily. "I know that because of her we've got Tara back but as since then the only things to happen involving her have been rather life threatening. I'm not too happy about her being around."

"Buffy, life threatening happens here all the time." Xander pointed out. "And she hasn't done anything to make us think she's a danger to Tara."

"But what if this whatever that has a thing against her decides its focus should be any other resurrected witches." Buffy bit back at him not sure why he was being so protective over Madalene.

"Yeah but you're letting..." Xander raised his hands to show he wasn't trying to be the bad guy. "Our best lead to whatever is hunting down resurrected witches go out the front door at night into Sunnydale." He looked back at the door for a moment. "And do you think once Mads is dead this snake bug loving demon isn't going to be just as keen to come after Tara?"

"He's right you know." Anya put in as she checked the polish on her nails. "If whatever is hunting her has a resurrected witch vendetta and it's out there, she'll be dead before she gets to the end of the road."

"I don't care. I don't trust her Xander, I can't help that." Buffy snarled feeling as if they were all ganging up on her. "I have fought every day since Tara died to try and hold on to things, you, Dawn, God even you." The Slayer looked at Anya. "I have had to keep my best friend sedated to an extent that sometimes I'm not actually certain that being alive was the best thing for her. And now, after all this time…" Buffy's voice began to shake a little. "The one person who might just be able to hold this wreck that we are calling an existence together is back and I will not… I WILL NOT, let her down again." Buffy pushed the chair out of the way and ran out of the room towards the kitchen and back door.

"Way to piss off the Slayer." Anya scoffed at him still inspecting her nails.

"Well hey blame me." Xander took a few long strides into the living room and pulled open the weapons chest he had crafted for the Slayer. He pulled from it a broad axe and moved to the front door "I'm going after the witch." He announced pulling on a coat to tuck the axe under.

"What should I do?" Anya called back to him a bit confused.

"You need to stay, in case they need you." He glanced up the stairs before he headed out into the darkness.

Dawn had been sipping her Kool-Aid trying to figure out if it was safe to go back into the dining room when her sister suddenly darted by and into the backyard. It was obvious just from her erratic pace that the Slayer wasn't dashing into action, but was running away from whatever had been said in the other room. Abandoning her drink she followed Buffy outside.

She sat down next to her sister silently waiting to see if the blonde would say anything.

"You... you should go inside." Buffy tried hard to control her voice though it was obvious the Slayer was crying she kept her head down all the while

"And pretend like you're fine?" Dawn contradicted as she put her hand up and rested it on her sister's back slowly starting to rub up and down.

"But you the kid sister." Buffy fought against her emotions. "You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"Buffy, maybe you haven't noticed but this isn't like normal family stuff and I've had to 'deal' with some weird stuff already. At least let me try." Dawn tried to explain in a soft voice that it didn't really matter who was older or younger.

"It just all gets too much." Buffy took a staggered breath and then released it as a hard sob.

"I know and you're allowed to be overwhelmed you know. There isn't a slayer rule that says you have to be all unfrazzled." Dawn reassured her leaning into Buffy as she rubbed the blonde's back.

"I'm not overwhelmed, I'm..." Buffy tried to summon up some inner strength. "I just don't want anything to happen to anyone." Slowly Buffy lifted her tear stained face. "Not again." She shook her head slightly, looking sadly at her sister.

"Everyone knows that and it's not just your job." Dawn looked back with a sad smile. "We all have to do our part."

"It's just that... she's back Dawn, really, she's really upstairs, in her and Willow's bed, sleeping with Will in her arms and that Madalene, that whoever, whatever she is comes along and Hell is following in her wake. I can't risk Tara again and until I know that there isn't more to Madalene that meets the eye I have to put Tara's safety first." Buffy explained her voice slightly calmer.

"Of course you do." Dawn looked at her sister for the first time confused. "Who said you have to trust her?"

"I don't know." Buffy shook her head.

"Okay I know I'm only a kid but here's how I see it." Dawn took a breath. "She's like the new kid at school... no one knows what she's all about but she got the cool jacket and shoes and apparently has good grades. Things don't quite add up cause she's dissing the jocks but she doesn't seem to melt with the techno heads either. So we don't know where to put her yet, doesn't mean we should trust her, but does mean we better keep and eye on her cause she still might steal your boyfriend."

Buffy chuckled softly whilst shaking her head ever so slightly.

"When did you grow up?" She inquired softly.

"One of those times you were busy saving the world." Dawn grinned at her. "She might be a big bad Buffy but she might just be a scared girl who came back from the dead. We can't really do much accept watch our backs till we know for sure."

"But if she's just a scared lonely girl, I've just forced her out of the one place she's probably safest." Buffy felt a slight tightness in her chest.

"I know maybe I'm naive but if she was the big bad would she have bothered leaving?" Dawn looked at her sister with her eyebrows raised.

"Again with the growing up. How about I put you in charge of looking after Willow and Tara, whilst I go back and get the new girl." Buffy gave a slight smile.

"Cool. I can bring them Kool-Aid." Dawn leaned forward and hugged her sister. After a long moment Buffy pushed up from her place and glanced at her watch.

"Take Will's pill up when you go, it's getting late." She reminded.

Dawn carefully balanced the menagerie of drinks, snacks and medications on the small wooden tray as she turned backwards to push the bedroom door open.

"Anyone awake?" She whispered moving to lay the tray down on the side table.

"Just one of us." Tara's soft tone replied.

"I have come to entice you with mountain berry Kool-Aid, ice water, chewy chocolate chip cookies and Willow's pills." Dawn kept her voice hushed as she looked over to sleepy blue eyes.

"Do I like mountain berry Kool-Aid?" Tara chuckled softly.

"You especially like it frozen with little straws in it to make home made Popsicle's." Dawn moved around with a tall glass of the Technicolor blue liquid and Tara's smile grew broader as she got a glimpse of the liquid.

"Are the cookies home made?" She asked as she eased an arm free and reached out for the glass.

"Unless you've been down secretly baking I'm afraid they are store bought. But I promise as soon as you make some Buffy and I will eat a few dozen." Dawn smiled and handed over the glass.

"Look I can do the glass thing on my own." Tara grinned as she closed her hand around the chilled glass. She peered over to the tray. "Willow's meds?" She asked looking at the small plastic bowl full of pills.

"Yes, do you want an introduction?" Dawn grinned brightly at the blonde's ability to hold the glass without her hand even shaking.

"Please." Tara fought to hold her bright tone as the sight of the pills made her sad inside.

"Here we have Miss. Blue and White, it's an antidepressant and here is Miss. pale green. Which is a vitamin supplement and Mr. tiny ugly grey which is her sleeping pill." Dawn explained.

A sad heartfelt sigh escaped from Tara's lips. She moved the fingers of her other hand lightly through Willow's hair.

"My poor, poor baby." She whispered softly.

"We missed dinner meds so we have to double up." Dawn frowned as she explained and Tara nodded understandingly.

"You've looked after her, all this time haven't you?" She asked tenderly looking back at Dawn.

"All of us have." The teenager nodded.

"Yes, all of you." Tara agreed. "But…" She looked up and met the teenager's eyes. "You must have had to be so brave."

"Me..." Dawn squeaked after a few seconds and her bottom lip shivered. "It was hard." She whispered blinking large brown eyes at the blonde.

"She didn't hurt you did she? After I..." Tara checked carefully as she put down the drink on the bedside table and reached out her hand for the young woman to come closer.

Dawn instantly scooted closer, filling the hand that was offered to her with her own.

"No... I mean she was mean but it wasn't Willow... it was the magic. It hurt more to see her so angry." The brunette whispered.

"I can't imagine how hard that must have been Dawnie." Tara comforted rubbing her thumb lightly on the back of the teenager's hand.

"I missed you." Dawn admitted softly.

"I know, I think that the only reason I remember what I do is because you all loved me so much." Tara explained. "And because I missed you so much too." She added.

"Then it was worth it, missing you so much that is." Dawn gave a brave smile.

"You look tired." Tara said tenderly releasing Dawn's hand for a moment to stroke her pale cheek.

"It's been a long few months." Dawn looked at Willow and frowned. "But it's worth it now, like when Buffy came back."

"I can give Willow her medication, you should go to bed." Tara encouraged the young woman to put herself first for possibly the first time in the last few months.

"But you might need something, need help..." Dawn protested gently.

"If I do I will find some way to get you." Tara vowed. "Though the bed is really big, you can snuggle up beside me if you like."

"I don't want to crowd you." Dawn seemed to object again but in reality she was already lying down.

"I think I like this kind of crowd." Tara slipped her arm around the teenager and hugged her tightly knowing the young woman needed comfort right now so badly.

Buffy's high heeled boots sounded lightly on the sidewalk as she jogged towards the lone figure she had made out to be Madalene about a minute and a half before. The witch had taken a solitary route towards the outskirts of town.

'Not the smartest route.' Buffy commented to herself as she put on an extra sprint to get closer.

"Madalene." She called when she was close enough to no frighten the spellcaster.

The figure stopped seeming to take a slow breath before she turned back around.

"Buffy." She acknowledged who it was chasing her.

"I didn't think you'd stop." Buffy admitted slowing down to stop just short of the witch.

"Have I given you reason to think I'm a completely unreasonable bitch or something?" Madalene questioned her voice tired.

"No." Buffy shook her head. "And believe me, I'm not the type to run after someone who I thought was unreasonable."

"I'm not sure you're the type to run after anyone." Madalene tried to offer some common ground.

"I ran after you." Buffy countered quickly trying a smile.

"Not something I was expecting, so I guess we're even." The spellcaster smiled back slightly.

"No, I don't think we are." Buffy shook her head. "I know that you are owed at least one apology and I don't think I'm owed any."

"You have no reason to apologize to me." Madalene shook her head back.

"You have every right to want to keep the people you love safe."

"I have, I accused you of hiding things and I accused you of being a danger to the person you came here to help." Buffy pointed out.

"Yes but since I've been here we've been attacked by a killer snake and a horde of locust." Madalene acknowledged that she understood the Slayer's reasoning.

"Yes and all of those have upset and scared you as much as anyone." Buffy pointed out the logic she had managed to devise.

"Being honest from what I do know and remember, neither are normal occurrences in my everyday life." Madalene took a few steps closer.

"You were a run of the mill witchy girl huh?" Buffy smiled again with a light shrug.

"As run of the mill as witchy gets I'm afraid." Madalene nodded with a laugh.

"Life isn't very run of the mill here is it?" She questioned gently not wanting to push.

"No, it's not." Buffy shook her head and took a breath. "This isn't going to mean a thing to you Madalene, but I'm the Chosen One."

"Chosen to what?" The spellcaster didn't understand.

"To protect the world." Buffy snorted slightly.

"Oh, very all encompassing." Madalene grinned. "Guess I should be honoured that the Chosen one thinks I'm a threat."

"Well it's mainly a prophecy about vampires." Buffy explained grinning too.

"I think maybe this explanation needs beverages to accompany it." Madalene raised an eyebrow.

"Beverages at the safe house suffice?" Buffy wanted to get the witch back into the safety of the house.

"If you want me there." Madalene checked not wanting to assume that Buffy's chasing her meant that the blonde was ready to have her at the house.

"Of course, what I said before being an ass still stands and at home I can keep my eye on everyone and keep you all safe." Buffy smiled.

"Sounds reasonable." The spellcaster nodded moving towards the Slayer so they could walk home.

The sleeping teenager on Tara's left turned over groaning just a little before she snuggled into the blonde's body and threw her hand over the Wicca's arm accidentally catching the top of Willow's head with her flailing hand. The sudden sleeping assault made Willow snap awake, her head popping up with a matt of red hair billowing around her face.

"Tara?" She questioned her voice heavy with fear.

It took the briefest of seconds for Tara to respond to the call as the blonde had actually slipped into a light nap snuggled up as the filling in the strange human sandwich she had found herself in.

"Willow." She pushed open her blue eyes.

"You're here." Willow scooted closer. "I didn't wake up, you're still here."

"I am, but you did wake up." A gentle smile crept over the blonde face.

"I can't wake up, if I wake up then you'll be gone." Willow shook her head.

"Willow, take a look around you, nice and slowly." Tara encouraged the woman beside her tenderly. Green eyes blinked slowly as the redhead looked around the room. "You're awake sweetie, you're at home." She explained. "See, I even have a second limpet." She nodded a little towards Dawn who groaned again and flipped over to her other side drawing her arm back to her own body.

"But how?" Willow blinked harder not believing her eyes.

"I'm not really sure." Tara admitted. "Something about my ancestry, but we can figure it out later."

"Not cause I'm crazy?" Willow reached up and touched her fingers to Tara's cheeks unable to believe that Tara was here and she was touching her.

"You're not crazy sweetie." Tara moved her hand to cover Willow's pressing it the cool small fingers tight to her cheek.

"I'm not?" Willow's eyes dipped closed as she felt the warmth in the blonde's skin.

"You're not." Tara underlined, her own eyes dropping closed as she felt Willow's touch.

As she did and flash of an image blinked into her minds eye. An image of Willow's hand on her cheek, the redhead stood only millimetres from her face, green eyes looking back at hers full of almost disbelief and unbelievable joy. Willow's lips were wet and slightly open and her breath was fast and hot on Tara's face. But as quickly as the image was there it disappeared, leaving the blonde to blink her eyes open again to look at the redhead who had not moved.

"But the doctors... the hospital... I remember parts of it." Willow tried to consolidate the battling parts of her fragmented mind.

"Yes, there were doctors and sweetie there still will be, though I sincerely hope no more hospitals." She spoke honestly but softly. "And the parts you remember, I know nothing about so perhaps together we can look at them and deal with them." She offered gently.

"You're not going to leave me again are you?" Willow's lower lip shook as she brought her other hand up resting it against Tara's collarbone feeling the heartbeat underneath.

"No." Tara shook her head. "Never again Willow though I never left you the first time." She whispered moving her hand to cup the trembling cheek so close to her.

"I love you." The redhead whispered the words almost as if they were the most precious on earth and she feared anyone else hearing them would lessen their value.

Tara had to force herself to breathe as the word escaped Willow's lips. The three simple words literally causing a cacophony of the phrase to echo in her head, all spoken by either her or Willow, in a hundred different tones and ways at a hundred different times, none of which had a memory as yet, but still all had a voice.

"I love you too." She stroked her thumb along Willow's prominent cheekbone

Willow leaned into the contact with a small smile. "You should go to the bathroom sweetie, you've been snuggled up here for hours. You need to at least brush your teeth." She repeated the simple motion all the while she spoke.

"But... But..." Willow's eyes darted up to look at the door and her pupils dilated with panic.

"It's ok Willow, its just over there, you can do it, I'll be right here." Tara encouraged softly as she moved her hand and stroked Willow's shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Willow looked back again into blue eyes calming a little more.

"Yes." Tara nodded encouraging the redhead with her blue eyes. "I would come with you but..." She let her voice trail off.

"Just teeth brushing and bathroom." Willow recapped trying to focus.

"Is that something you can do?" Tara hated asking but at Willow's reticence she suddenly doubted what she had taken as a given.

"If… If I'm having a good day Buffy doesn't have to sit in the bathroom while I shower she sits out here." Willow swallowed and looked down at Tara's arm.

"I could wake Dawnie." Tara glanced quickly at the sleeping teenager.

"No, no I can do it." Willow tried to be brave. "I can leave the door open right?"

"You can." Tara nodded glancing again at Dawn and then at the door as if thinking about something. Then after a moments silence she took a deep breath. "I would come with you but my legs aren't too strong." She said hating the words as they left her mouth.

"We could do it together." Willow questioned still not convinced about going herself.

"We could?" Tara didn't mean to sound so questioning but she couldn't help it.

"Or we could wake Dawn." Willow whispered feeling her conviction waver.

"No." Tara suddenly made up her mind. "We can do this."

A rare smile crossed Willow's face before she carefully scooted further over on the bed away from Dawn and held her hand out to help Tara. Slowly Tara extracted herself from beside the teenager and used her arms to move across the mattress towards the side of the bed that Willow had recently vacated. Putting her hand into Willow's she managed to move her legs around and put them down on the floor. She looked up into green eyes with a smile.

Sensing without really thinking Willow leaned down hugging her frail arms around Tara's body and helping her ease up to a standing position.

"Hey look at that, we're standing." Tara breathed in deeply as she felt the world sway just slightly as she reached her full height.

"We are, all by ourselves." Willow nodded as she held on tightly.

"Yeah." Tara took a moment and wrapped her arms around Willow smoothing her hands up and down the redhead's back. "We should do the bathroom trip." She encouraged.

"We..." Willow looked up into blue eyes for a moment as their bodies stayed hugged together. "Should." She finished after a long slow breath.

"This feels good though." Tara whispered as she rubbed Willow's back again.

"Makes me think I must be dreaming again." The redhead whispered softly.

"Do dreams ever feel quite this good?" Tara nuzzled her face against Willow's.

"Never." Willow nuzzled back.

"You smell like camomile. I remember camomile." Tara breathed in deeply again.

"You smell like Tara." Willow whispered back.

"You remember Tara?" Tara questioned almost silently.

"How could I forget you?" Willow pulled back a little to look into blue eyes.

"I forgot me." Tara gave a quirky smile. "But I didn't forget you." She added softly.

"I don't understand any of this." Willow admitted trying to get her head to clear. "All I know is I love you." Without thinking she edged up a little and pressed her lips over Tara's.

For a second Tara froze but as the heat from Willow's lips spread over to hers she felt herself melt again, gently she kissed the redhead back.

It was just a short, simple kiss but it conveyed a thousand things that neither of them could say yet.

"Bathroom sweetie." Tara reminded pulling back slightly after a long moment.

"Oh yeah." Willow giggled as she was pulled back to the reality of the moment. "Ready?" She shifted her grip to get ready to move.

"Yes." Tara nodded confidently pushing all of her strength down into her weak stiff legs.

Slowly they began shuffling towards the bathroom, having to take the long route around the bed on the way to the door.

Their progress was slow to say the least. Tara's legs were stiff and tired, Madalene had told her that she would probably need lots of massages and even exercises to get them strong enough to walk on again and as the pair breeched the bathroom the Wicca believed the spellcaster's words anew. With a small sigh of relief Tara felt her foot fall on cool white tile, she glanced up relived that there goal was in sight.

"We made it." Willow noted as they made it into the long room.

"Of cour..." Tara's voice literally broke off as she felt her right knee buckle.

Willow felt the world start to tumble as the weight leaned against her seemed to triple and she felt herself going slightly backwards at the same time that her arms slipped from their place.

With a less than gentle 'uf' Tara dropped to the floor her legs crumpled beneath her as her body pitched sideways. As she came to a hard stop against the tile her head was thrown sideways, unbelievable hitting a towel that lay on the bathroom floor.

Willow crumbled in a slightly less graceful move as she hit the wall and an attempt to cling to a long towel only caused her to slide down to the ground as it came off the rack.

The sudden drop to the floor though had been just a little too much of a shock for Tara's slightly overloaded body and though she fought hard for a brief second, she could not stop the veil of darkness that descended over her eyes.

Dawn's eyes snapped open as the loud double thud resonated through to her from the bathroom. Wildly she sat up, and turned sharply in the bed though the chill on her back had already told her that the bed was empty.

"Willow?" Her shaky voice called out as she pushed up quickly from the mattress ignoring the heady swim in her head as she went from sound asleep to upright and alert in far too short a space in time.

The redhead whimpering as the towel landed over her head and for the moment she was blinded by the thick fluffiness soon followed the noises that awoke Dawn.

"TARA!" Dawn screeched louder as she thundered out of the bedroom onto the landing.

Through the open door of the bathroom the redhead's feet could be seen kicking uselessly against the door as she struggled petrified with the towel only to finally shed it and be faced with the sight of Tara unconscious.

"TARA!" Willow screeched at an even higher pitch then Dawn had as she reached out with a shaky hand across the tiles toward the blonde.

Willow's call helped Dawn place the two missing woman and in just a few long strides she was framed in the doorway, though only for a second before she dropped to her knees near the entrance taking in the scene before her.

"Willow, oh God, what happened?" She asked of the shaking redhead.

"I killed her." Willow's fingers slapped lightly against the tiles as she stopped short of touching Tara.

From behind them there came a rapid thud of footsteps on the stairs a distance away.

"Dawn, Willow, Tara, this isn't funny, what's going on?" Anya's perturbed voice called from the direction of the stairs.

"No, no you didn't." Dawn shook her head though as she looked at Tara's prone form it was hard for the young woman to banish the image that had greeted her that fateful afternoon from her mind.

"I'm bad." Willow pulled her hand back curling up into a tight ball.

"No, you're not." Dawn's voice was a frightened squeak as she watched Willow curl up and begin rocking. "Oh God." She felt her lip begin to tremble.

"What do we do?" Anya questioned leaning over Dawn to appraise what was going on. "Pills, do we get her pills?"

"I... I don't know." Dawn glanced quickly over her shoulder at the vengeance demon.

"W... Willow?" Tara groggily whispered as her blue eyes blinked slowly open her brow furrowing in confusion when those eyes focused on a white bath side.

"Bad... bad... so bad." Willow whined as she rocked her body against the tiles.

"Tara!" Dawn turned round again quickly to look at the Wicca.

"Dawn?" Tara shifted her shoulders around a little and turned her head to what she hoped was the direction of Dawn's voice. As she did she caught sight of Willow's huddled form. "Oh God Willow." Her voice was shocked and scared. "What's wrong with Willow?" She turned wide frightened blue eyes up at the pair in the doorway.

"She's having an episode." Anya filled in stepping awkwardly past Dawn to the blonde and helping her sit up. "If we're really unlucky she'll have a seizure or start to climb the walls."

"An episode?" Tara questioned the demon's phrasing. "A seizure, climbing the walls?" She looked between Anya and Dawn for clarification or explanation.

"It'll be fine, well once we calm her down. Did she have her pills?" Anya fixed Tara's dishevelled hair.

"Her pills." Tara looked back at Anya and shook her head. "We were coming to clean her teeth and then take them."

"Her pills don't do this, unless she misses a lot." Dawn scoffed at the demon's explanation as she moved slowly closer to the redhead. "She just needs to know she's safe." She felt herself slip into its normal role as she eased the towel away and tucked it behind Willow's head to keep it away from the wall.

The Wicca leaned forward slightly reaching her hand out towards Willow as Dawn to got closer.

"Dawn you know better than to touch her when she's like this. I mean you're better than me trying, but you still shouldn't. Remember that time she gave you the black eye." Anya called in warning. "And you probably shouldn't try either." She turned to Tara.

"Buffy's not here." Dawn looked back at Anya trying to will the woman to shut up. "We don't have a choice."

"It's okay, I can do this." Tara looked up at them both. "She's just scared, I can feel it." She briefly closed her eyes.

"Darkness... dark... darkness." Willow's hands clawed around her temples as her body contorted.

"Not dark sweetie, see, look, look how light it is, open your eyes for me." Tara dropped her voice to a harmonious purr as she lifted her hand up and moved it in a small circle above where they sat causing a bright, yet not glaring warm yellow light to glow around them.

"Darkness... empty... coming to get me." Willow's voice was shrill for a moment but as the glow of the light settled on her skin.

"Open your eyes baby." Tara encouraged again, her tone never changing. She watched as the muscles of Willow's face relaxed a little under the warming glow.

"How are you doing that?" Dawn questioned softly as the light spun around them. Tara's blue eyes flickered up to look at Dawn briefly.

"I... I don't know." She admitted her voice tiny.

"Who cares, keep it up." Anya encouraged.

"Baby... I can't find you... you're gone, you're gone." Willow whispered her arms and legs staying taunt though the rocking ended.

"I'm not gone, I could never leave you." Tara felt her voice crack a little as she leaned closer. "I will never leave you." She reached out her hand and held it out close to Willow's body. "Just reach out for me Sweetie." Tara encouraged. "Reach out and I promise, I promise I will be there." She said with utter conviction.

The hacker's body hesitated for a moment as the words seemed to fade through layers of torment. Her fingers snapped loose of the tight fist she had clenched them in and with a jerky unsure movement she reached out trying to find the blonde.

Tara instantly thrust her hand and arm into Willow's reach, clamping her hand tightly around the thin arm the instant they touched.

"I'm right here." Tara's tears won over as her long fingers closed around Willow's arm.

Green eyes snapped open for an instant holding blue ones before they rolled up and she dropped into limp unconsciousness. Tara's eyes closed too for a moment as the Wicca drew in a long lungful of air through her nose as she pulled back the ties of control.

"We need to get her to back to bed." Tara opened her eyes and looked at Anya. "Can Xander help us?"

"He's not here." Anya seemed stuck for a moment. "Dawn and I can lift her."

"Be careful with her, please." Tara moved back as best she could from Willow giving the other two more room

It was a slow and delicate procedure but Anya and Dawn managed to get the limp body upright and carefully drag her back to the bedroom. Dawn returned to Tara almost immediately.

"Are you okay? Did you hurt anything?" She kneeled down next to Tara.

"I think my leg was hurting before I hit the floor." Tara admitted. "Did you get Willow comfortable?"

"She in bed." Dawn nodded. "I'm sorry... it wasn't you... she gets like that when she gets scared." She tried to explain feeling guilty for having gone to sleep now and letting all of this happen.

"It's ok Dawn, it's ok." Tara stressed. "And stop that." She added softly.

"Stop what?" Dawn paused confused.

"Blaming yourself." Tara replied.

"I should have been awake, then I could have helped." Dawn shook her head. "We'll wake her up in a few minutes and give her the pills. Get you two comfy."

"Saying that you should have been awake, is like saying I should have been cuddling Willow by the dresser and not stood in front of window three months ago." Without thinking Tara related the instant before her death with clarity.

"That wasn't... okay." Dawn conceded. "Do you want to be with her?"

"Thank you." Tara smiled grateful that the teenager hadn't challenged her point. "I think it's best if I stay here at least until she's medicated, don't you?"

"If you think that's best." Dawn nodded.

"DAWN! ANYA, Where is everyone?" Buffy's voice called up the stairs the second after the front door flew open.

"Ah the easy way back to the bathroom just showed up." Tara looked at Dawn with a smile.

"Buffy, we're up here." Dawn called back hoping she could interject before Anya did. "Yeah, she's much better than we are at the carry bit." She heard her sister guided into the bedroom by the demon.

"Go on back to Willow, I'm sure there is a night time routine you have with her." Tara made the difficult statement as she leaned back against the side of the tub. The thought that there was this huge and necessary routine for her lover that she simply wasn't a part of literally made her heart ache.

"Maybe it's best if we keep her on her routine for awhile, just till she gets used to the idea she's not dreaming you." Dawn questioned with a frown.

"It's best." Tara nodded.

"She's never calmed down that quickly before." Dawn leaned over on her legs a little looking into distant blue eyes. "Never." She underlined.

"Thank you." Tara said appreciative of the young woman's efforts.

"And the only routine we have is cause you're not here to be the routine. You used to be the routine, with funny shapes and flowers and..." Dawn played her fingers into the lines between the tiles. "You are the routine, we're just the half working filler."

Tara reached out and played her fingers into Dawn's as they traced the lines together.

"But Buffy prefers rounds because they're stackable." She said softly. "And Willow, she prefers waffles, so the syrup sticks in the squares"

"See you are the routine." Dawn looked up with a happy smile.

"I bet you don't say that next time I remind you to clean your room." Tara smiled back. "Go on Give Willow the help she needs, I'm not going anywhere." She encouraged Dawn tenderly.

Squeezing Tara's fingers briefly the teenager nodded and pushed up from her place on the floor.

"I'll be right back." She promised as she skipped out.

Buffy stood in the doorway to the bathroom and looked down at the blonde who was leaned against the side of the tub seeming to be quite captivated as she flexed and moved her toes.

"I hear you needed a taxi." The Slayer offered softly causing the blonde to look up.

"How's Will?" She asked softly.

"She's okay, we got her to take her pills." Buffy moved in and sunk down to knell near her.

"How long before she's asleep?" Tara inquired.

"Um... half hour maybe less." Buffy tried to fill in. "The pills are pretty strong but if she's been upset sometimes she fights them."

"How ok is ok?" The Wicca leaned back a little harder against the tub side.

"Okay means she didn't hurt herself, she's settled now and compared to most from what Dawn told me you eased her back in record time." Buffy leaned over and rested next to Tara.

"I'm not sure it had much t do with me." Tara shook her head and looked back down at her feet.

"Why would you say that?" Buffy questioned looking sideways at her.

"I didn't stop it happening so why should I have been the one that helped her through it, in fact it was my fault." Tara's blue eyes dropped lower.

"Why do you think it's your fault? Cause you fell?" Buffy reached over to the towel on the floor. "Tara, she's had massive freak outs over smaller things."

"But I should have prevented this one." Tara sighed softly.

"As far as I'm concerned you've already worked miracles. I mean Willow on her way to brush her teeth without a five minute discussion about how it's necessary." Buffy smiled trying to catch blue eyes. "That is a miracle."

"I should have woken Dawn." Tara refused to meet her eyes.

"I didn't want you to get a swelled head but the Dawn asleep before midnight. That is your second miracle, one more and we can put you forward for sainthood." Buffy kept trying to lighten her mood.

"I'm sorry Buffy." Tara eventually turned to look at Buffy. "I'm just feeling sorry for myself I think."

"Do you know what we need?" Buffy questioned with a sudden inspiration.

"A holiday?" Tara replied with a slightly lopsided smile.

"I was going to say ice cream." Buffy laughed lightly.

"Just as good, but I don't want to be a bother, with the stairs and everything." Tara felt the burden of her situation anew.

"This is me." Buffy shook her head and switched over to put her arms under the blonde and in a sure move picked her up. "Stairs is nothing, now a mountain I might want a moment."

"Do you think Willow be ok without me?" Tara hung on a little.

"I could put you in with her and bring it up if you wanted?" Buffy checked as she moved out into the hallway.

"I don't want to disturb her, if it's best she goes to sleep it might be better if I leave her until the medication kicks in." Tara offered for Buffy's comment.

"She'll be fine." Buffy walked past the door and made her way down the stairs. "You up for a stool or the couch?" She checked before going all the way into the kitchen.

"It's harder to fall of the couch." Tara sighed again.

Buffy smiled and moved in to settle the blonde on the large fluffy cushions before she went into the kitchen and fixed them both large bowls.

"I'm hoping you still love chocolate sauce." The Slayer smiled as she brought the bowls back through one was covered in dark sweet sauce.

"Still lots of taste bud jumping for joy at the mere mention." Tara admitted as the words did literally make something inside her happier.

"I thought I heard you two in here." Madalene emerged from the dining room. "How are you doing?" She questioned Tara as Buffy settled down with their treat.

"Feeling sorry for myself, Buffy is helping by feeding me ice-cream." Tara replied honestly.

"Ice cream always makes things better." Madalene agreed coming to sit down on one of the chairs.

"And convincing her that she has no reason to feel sorry for herself." Buffy added quickly.

"I just feel so helpless." Tara admitted glancing between the two women before looking down at her bowl of ice cream.

"Tara I have to honestly tell you here that you've only been risen for three days. That you're even able to move is fantastic." Madalene tried to be supportive.

"Thank you." Tara smiled gratefully at the spellcaster. "And I don't know if I was like this before, but I'm kinda feeling pretty…" Tara [paused. "Lacking."

"I'm sure it's just due to the adjustment." Madalene underlined.

"Oh yeah... definitely." Buffy mumbled through a mouthful of ice cream.

Tara ate some of her ice cream in silence for a moment not managing more than a few mouthfuls before she put down her spoon.

"When did Xander go home?" She asked nursing her bowl.

"This is his home." Buffy stopped and looked up from her bowl.

"Ice cream, I'm missing out on ice cream." Anya's voice called from the stairs stopping all conversation for the moment as the vengeance demon walked down them and came into the living room.

"Anya, where did Xander go?" Buffy questioned her immediately.

"He went after her." Anya nodded towards Madalene. "He probably got side tracked by chicken or pizza." The demon shrugged and perched on the arm of the chair next to Tara.

"He went after me?" Madalene looked at the demon surprised.

"Chicken yeah Xander loves chicken." Buffy's eyes narrowed as she looked out the window into the dark sky.

"So do I get ice cream? I've been looking after the three of them for over an hour now." Anya protested looking at Buffy.

"Come on Anya, I'll help you get some." Buffy gave Tara a 'help me' look and moved over with Anya into the kitchen. She wondered why suddenly the demon was incapable of rummaging for ice cream herself.

"I'm taking it I missed something." Tara looked at the spellcaster.

"We had a slight misunderstanding." Madalene smiled softly.

"You and Buffy?" Tara clarified.

"Yes, but we worked it out. They all love you so much they are even afraid I could be a threat." Madalene laughed lightly.

Tara looked briefly off towards the kitchen before turning back to look at Madalene.

"But you're not a threat are you?" She asked quietly fixing Madalene's eyes with her own.

"Not that I know of." Madalene held the blue gaze without flinching.

"Why did they think you were?" She asked curious.

"There's been a couple of incidents that has Buffy thinking there is someone or something that is after me." Madalene explained calmly.

"Incidents?" Tara frowned.

"Nothing that you need to worry about." Madalene reassured her. "Buffy says she's going to take care of it."

"Willow's asleep." Neither Tara nor Madalene had noticed the teenager's arrival as Dawn appeared in the room. The dark haired young woman crossed over and snuggled onto the couch beside Tara.

"I have ice cream." The blonde smiled and offered Dawn her bowl.

"Chocolate mountain explosion cool." Dawn took the spoon and helped herself to a large mouthful.

"I'm merely saying that unlike popular thought, I believe that it is ice cream rather than chocolate that can be as satisfying as sex." Anya stressed as she walked in from the kitchen not even blinking when she caught sight of Dawn.

"Dawn can you be any more of a thief?" Buffy tried to ignore Anya as she held up the bowl she'd dished out for the teenager.

"Tara offered." Dawn objected.

"You don't have to coddle her." Buffy grinned at Tara as she handed over the new bowl. "We weren't sure if you wanted any?" She motioned to the second bowl that Anya was carrying for Madalene.

"Thank you." The spellcaster smiled at the thoughtfulness and took the offered indulgence.

Tara smiled softly and leaned back a little into the couch cushion, just basking in the strange familiarity there was to this situation. It all seemed so natural, them all gathered around eating ice cream. Though the two missing Scoobies did draw a red flag in her mind.

"So if Xander lives here, where are you managing to fit everyone?" She asked looking over at Buffy as she and the Slayer where the only two not really eating.

"Well for the moment you and Willow get your room, Mads can have mine and I bunk with Dawn." Buffy summed up. "Xander offered to give you the basement Anya if you want to stay too, he can take the couch."

"Me, stay in the basement, I'm a vengeance demon again. My time of sleeping in basements is over." She scowled firmly.

"You get the basement or the couch." Buffy looked back at her unmoved by the plea.

"I'll have the bed, but I insist that Xander takes all his smelly unmentionables out of there first." Anya huffed loudly. "Where is he anyway, its been ages?" She pouted.

"I don't know." Buffy shook her head looking out the window again. "You guys okay to hold down the fort while I go look?"

"We can cope." Dawn replied nodding brightly as she glanced between Buffy and Tara.

"You sure?" The Slayer moved and shrugged on a coat as she poised the question directly to Tara.

"Positive." Tara smiled and nodded.

"Back soon." Buffy nodded and went out locking the door behind her.

-x-

Buffy grumbled as she left the KFC without any more idea of where Xander was. It wasn't completely a surprise that the young girl annoyingly snapping her bubble gum knew who she was describing, but that the girl was also positive Xander hadn't been there was very disappointing. She'd checked all of his usual haunts. Checked most of the parking lots for his car and had even run across a duo of newly risen vampires who also assured her before she dusted them that they hadn't seen him. For all intent purposes Xander had either run away, disappeared or was somewhere stupid and for that Buffy would kill him after she hugged him.

"Er, mmmmm, Buffy?" A voice the Slayer vaguely recognised as their demon 'friend' Clem called to her from the shadows.

"What?" She snapped her head up. "Oh hi Clem, sorry I didn't see you."

"Hi." He lifted his hand a waved slightly. "You getting late night snacks?" He nodded towards the chicken place.

"I wish. You haven't seen Xander by any chance have you?" Buffy looked back and shook her head. "I need to find him."

"You're dark haired friend?" Clem clarified Xander identity.

"Yeah, our guy friend." Buffy nodded.

"Oh yes I saw him earlier."

"Where?" Buffy almost jumped on Clem in growing desperation.

"He was coming down the main street trying to hide a big axe, you might want to talk to him about how to efficiently hide a large two handed weapon." Clem added thoughtfully. "Then these two guys came and seemed to be really insistent that he leave with them."

"What two guys? What did they look like? Where did they take him?" Buffy reached out and shook the loose skinned demon.

"Oh well I'm afraid I don't know that." The demon let her shake him for a moment.

"Were they human or demons?" She let him go patting down his coat in apology.

"They looked pretty average, but come to think of it I didn't see them you know walk down the street after your friend they did kinda just appear near him. Sorry." He added apologetically.

"I so don't need this." Buffy put her hands up to her head trying to think. "Do I look like I need this? I mean what would they want with Xander anyway."

"No actually you look like you need a little sun, perhaps a holiday." The demon smiled at her.

"Clem, you haven't heard of anything new in town?" Buffy questioned trying to find some sort of lead.

"Well there's a rumour that there is some kind of visiting mage in the area. You know big spell caster type." He shrugged.

"Her I know about, she's at my house." Buffy shook her head. "Anything else? Someone who likes locust and snakes?"

"She is?" Clem frowned.

"She's a good big spellcaster type." Buffy tried to explain. "And I think she just registered as a big spell caster type cause she came back from the dead."

"Oh." There was something unreadable about Clem's face.

"Hold on... is everyone sure this big mage is a she?" Buffy questioned him feeling a knot grow in her stomach.

"That I don't know Buffy but as a friend." Clem glanced around. "If you have this mage in your house, get rid of her. If she s what's got us all jumping you don't want her around."

"Why what is the word on the street about her?" Buffy felt the knot turn into a series.

"Big mage, bad news." Clem paraphrased efficiently.

"Who can give me more information than that?" Buffy questioned knowing she couldn't waltz in and kick Madalene out again, not with Xander now being missing. Though Xander had gone looking for the spellcaster, so maybe Buffy was just being too open-minded and not adding up what was in front of her.

"Well the words big round Willy's." Clem continued to try and be as helpful as he could.

"Willy's right. Thank you." Buffy acknowledged as she turned to head towards the bar.

"Buffy." Clem called after the Slayer and she instantly turned back as she reached the end of the sidewalk. "I'm sorry about your friend, Willow and her girlfriend, the shooting." He said apologetically glancing at the floor.

"Thanks Clem, but it's okay now. Tara is back." Buffy smiled feeling at least that reality resonant with hope in her chest before she turned deciding to run to Willy's.

Buffy didn't even hesitate despite the late hour as she pushed open the door to the dingy underground club and strolled in. She had a quick glance around making sure no one in there was immediately going to harass her or make trouble before she headed right to the bar and Willy.

"Okay I want information." Buffy glared at him. "You know the drill."

"Don't hit the nose this time." He said under his breath.

"I'm going to rip it off if you don't tell me about the new mage in town." Buffy hissed.

"New mage, big power, after something, something big." Willy whispered back.

"Name?" Buffy nodded that she was appreciating his forthcoming ness.

"Don't know one."

"Description, what do they want and where will they find it?" Buffy pushed pulling her hand up.

"I'm thinking it varies." Willy hissed.

"Varies how?" Buffy glared at a nearby demon that seemed interested in her for a moment before he shuffled away.

"You know new town new name. Big mages don't need histories." Willy picked up a glass and ran a cloth around it.

"Has anyone seen them?" Buffy looked around to see if anyone appeared knowledgably. There can a round of shaking heads and shrugs from the demonic and vampiric crowd

"I need more." Buffy growled. "I need at least a where."

"They a Mage Buffy not a demon could be at the local motel." He tried to be helpful.

"Who can tell me more?" Buffy leaned with both hands on the bar.

Again the room fell silent.

"Come on this is Sunnydale, everyone has a big mouth about this stuff." Buffy growled loud enough for the silent patrons to all hear. "If someone doesn't tell me something soon I'm going to have to start killing. I know you would all just rather I go on my merry way for the night to fight this mage so spill."

"No one wants trouble Buffy." Willy said quietly.

"Then someone tell me what I need to know." The Slayer barked at him.

"Rumour has it that a stranger in town rented a room at the motel on the outskirts of town a few days ago." A Flacke demon called from the far corner of the room.

"See now we're getting somewhere." Buffy turned towards the gravely voice. "Anyone else?"

"But the same rumour had her hanging out with you." A second voice hissed as a snake like demon caught Buffy's eye.

"Any other rumours?" Buffy's voice was icy.

"The Mage was called here by the power of your witch friend." The snake like demon continued. "Your name is mud in this town Slayer." It seethed.

Buffy walked over to the incredulous creature and in an instant had it by the throat.

"Since you seem to be knowledge snake guy why don't you keep hissing what you know?" Buffy growled again.

"I only know what we all know Slayer. First you bring with you your own method of destruction then you breed your own team of witches." It hissed at her slowly. "And when one of them is cut down, the other just grows stronger and stronger trying to destroy our home and even now you harbour her."

"Blah blah blah old news. I want to know about the new girl." Buffy smacked him hard.

"You only get what you deserve Slayer, Maladic will triumph." With a shimmer and another hiss the snake demon transformed into a small garden snake literally slipping between Buffy fingers and sliding away under the bar in an instant

Buffy hesitated for a second, completely horrified and surprised by his metamorphosis before she pushed off and raced back out into the night. She had to get home; she had to get there... if she wasn't too late already.

Buffy came to the side of the house and seeing the light on downstairs tapped on the small window that lead to the underground of the Summer's house. She'd wanted to just burst through the front door but the truth was she needed information and tools if she was going to go into this. After her run in with Willow, who though powerful at the time was only a witch hopped on dark magic power, she knew she couldn't just face another spellcaster head on and not expect someone to die. She tapped harder when the form of Anya sorting out laundry with a scowl on her face didn't seem to notice her.

"Buffy?"

The voice slightly behind her made the Slayer jump. Tara smiled at her from her place leaning against the side of the front of the house

"Tara!" Buffy jumped and turned. "Oh my God how did you do that. What are you doing out of bed?" She questioned worried.

"I've not been to bed." Tara replied. "I was resting on the porch, I asked Dawnie to help me out here before insisting she went to bed." Tara explained. "And as for how I got here-here." She pointed to the spot where she leaned. "Hard work." She smiled again. "Which may be about to back fire on me." She admitted suddenly looking slightly wobbly.

"I got you." Buffy moved over to help her stand.

"What's wrong Buffy?" Tara said instantly leaning into the offered support. "I can see that something is wrong, your I don't know what, is off."

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Buffy tried to cover. "Why don't we get you back up on the porch?"

"Buffy please." Tara took a firmer grip on Buffy's supporting arm. "My body is weak right now and my memories might be few but I'm not blind or stupid."

"Okay, I have reason to believe that Xander has been kidnapped and well some suggestion that Madalene is not really who she says she is." Buffy kept her voice low and they stayed sheltered at the side of the house.

"What?" Tara staggered back into Buffy's arms a little.

"Some mage named Maladic is in town, rumour seems to think it's her." Buffy tried to explain.

"Buffy no, they're wrong, Madalene isn't hiding anything from you." She shook her head.

"Tara, I really want to believe that but how do you know?" Buffy questioned.

"Because she helped me." Tara whispered her voice shaking a little.

"Helped you how?" Buffy jumped on it immediately. "In some way other than I know of?" She wasn't comforted when Tara shook her head.

"Buffy if it wasn't for her then I wouldn't be here. I'd be..." The blonde shivered and dropped heavier into Buffy's arms.

"I know, I know." Buffy held her tight. "I don't want to think this but I have disappearing snake men and rumours and that's why I wanted to talk to Anya."

"I could get her." Tara blinked up at Buffy.

"How?" Buffy questioned confused.

"I'm not sure I can but…" Tara replied and then closed her eyes. *Anya?*

"Ok so don't try that again in a hurry little miss recovering witch." Anya's form appeared beside the pair and the demon gave Tara a kind scowl.

"And I thought slayer powers were good." Buffy smiled softly.

"Hey I'm not knocking the slayers powers." Tara opened her eyes and smiled at the Slayer before slumping against her harder. "Because I imagine that every time you do something you don't have the sudden need to fall over like I do." She joked softly.

"I got you." Buffy held her in place. "Anya, do you know of someone called Maladic?" She questioned the demon immediately.

"Look this is al fine and dandy..." Anya began her rant to be cut off by Buffy. "Maladic the Mage?" The demon's eyes widened.

"Exactly." Buffy nodded.

"Oh yes, I know Maladic. Well more I know of Maladic." She nodded.

"Okay well this might seem like an odd question..." Buffy poised it softly feeling bad for her doubts. "Could Madalene be Maladic?"

Anya looked between Buffy and Tara for a moment and then coughed and then again looked between the pair before tipping her head back and laughing.

"Have you fried your slayer brain?" She said through her laughter.

"I'm serious Anya." Buffy scowled. "I need to know."

"Oh believe me so am I." Anya chuckled.

"Then tell me why it's not her." Buffy glared at the demon.

"Maladic the Mage is over two hundred years old and HE is a gnarly, warty ugly thing." Anya shivered and gave a look of disgust.

"Couldn't he just be posing as Madalene? The rumour is big mage in town is staying with me." Buffy bit back not appreciating Anya's condescending stance on her valid questions. "And the only mage I have is her so I'm left with limited options."

"No absolutely no chance." Anya shook her head.

"Then I don't understand it, the snake boy at Willy's was going on about how I have a whole breeding stock of witches and that Maladic would have his due." Buffy tried to think.

"Oh no you see that makes sense." Anya smiled. "Maladic the Mage has a Contoric staff, it's a very big ugly thing, like him, that is the source of his power."

"Which means?" Buffy felt completely confused.

"He uses it to harvest Magic. Willow's recent adventure with power, may have drawn him here." The demon contemplated.

"Okay so where do I find him and how do I kill him?" Buffy got to the point.

"I don't know." Anya shrugged. "To the finding him part, the killing part is easy." Buffy waited for more information but it came from another source.

"Break the staff." Tara offered with a small shrug.

"Bingo, prize to the attractive blue eyed witch." Anya rewarded Tara with a large smile.

"Anya can you orb to Xander?" Buffy didn't smile with the others. "Or better bring me to him?"

"How can I orb to him when I don't know where he is." Anya put her hand on her hip and stared at Buffy.

"It was a hope..." The Slayer frowned. "Cause I think some of Maladic's goons took him." She was surprised when again Anya only laughed.

"Maladic took Xander!" She snorted loudly. "Did you not hear the speech about how he gathers witches and drains them? He doesn't gather cowards to chastise them, though it would be nice if he did." She added thoughtfully.

It had been a long slow walk, but every step showed that the blonde was making undeniable improvement in her strength and coordination. While the others gathered as best they could and went into research mode Buffy's first and primary concern was getting Tara back safely in bed. After a brief pause to gather her breath at the top of the stairs, they were now slowly making their way down the hall towards the bedroom.

"You still think that Maladic has Xander don't you?" Tara asked softly glancing across to the Slayer.

"I do, I'm not sure why but it's not really far fetched for the big bad of the moment to kidnap Scoobies." Buffy explained not sure what of their demon fighting times Tara did remember.

"But we usually win don't we?" Tara checked with a smile.

"We always find a way." Buffy smiled back softly.

"I want to help Buffy." Tara drew them to a stop outside of the bedroom door.

"You are helping Tara, taking care of yourself and Willow is the most important job right now." Buffy stopped with the witch. "We're going to be all insane with the research and the looking and then the ass kicking I'm going to give this mage when I find it. We need you two safe and not having to be worried about."

Tara pushed the bedroom door open with one hand letting a little of the light from the landing stream into the bed but she was careful not to make the bedroom too bright for fear of waking the sleeping form that lay on her side in the large bed.

"I will look after her Buffy." Tara glanced back at the Slayer. "I promise you that."

"You okay from here?" Buffy questioned seeing Tara's brave move forward.

"I want to try." Tara nodded thankful that Buffy had read her attempt at independence.

"I know you'll take care of her, I don't trust her with just anyone you know." Buffy winked as she moved down the hall to go downstairs with the others.

Tara moved slowly and carefully, using all the available furniture she could to lean on and eventually managed to reach the bed.

"I knew you would come back." A soft whispered called to her when her weight shifted onto the bed.

"Willow?" Tara squinted her eyes in the near darkness and looked down at the bed.

"I knew if I was just patient you'd come back to me." Willow whispered again.

"You're supposed to be asleep." Tara chastised jokingly she leaned forward and moved her hands down to her legs to move them onto the mattress.

"I couldn't sleep without you here." The hacker answered moving over to slide her arms around Tara and help as she could to assist the blonde in lying down.

"Mmmmm you're good at that." Without really thinking for the first time Tara snuggled into Willow's shoulder as the slight redhead eased her back

"Are you okay?" Willow questioned carefully as they snuggled up together.

"Are you?" Tara didn't answer as she snuggled more concerned for Willow than anything whilst at the same time feeling a little overwhelmed at the familiarity of this position and the comfort it immediately offered her.

"I feel safe now that you're here." Willow admitted easing her thin arm around Tara.

"You are safe sweetie." Tara moved her arm and laid it lightly over Willow's body, across her waist.

"Its so hard to concentrate sometimes." Willow whispered her hand softly stroking over Tara's back.

"Can you tell me about it?" Tara asked tenderly. "Tell me what its like?" She let her fingers caress the material of Willow's nightshirt.

"I heard Giles tell Buffy it might be from the magic, from how much of it was inside of me. That it might have loosened things, made little crinkles in my mind." Willow's voice didn't show any discontent as she explained. "But it's not like that at all. It's like being asleep and knowing you're asleep but you just can't wake up."

"Does this feel like a dream?" Tara asked her heart filling with love for the redhead beside her.

"It did at first but now I think I know this is what being awake is." Willow hugged her slightly.

"It is." Tara assured her. "You're awake and you're safe."

"Did Buffy tell you everything?" Willow's voice for the first time shook a little.

"Everything?" Tara asked wanting to see how much Willow could talk about comfortably.

"I know you might leave me when I tell you but I have to tell you." Willow's voice still shivered and got even quieter.

Tara moved her head slightly and looked up into green eyes, gently she moved her hand and placed a finger on Willow's lips.

"I won't ever leave you again Willow." She vowed.

"I killed him." The redhead whispered almost silently. "I hunted him down and killed him cause he hurt you."

"I know." Tara nodded so proud of Willow for telling her.

"Do you hate me?" Willow questioned seeing that her statement hadn't made Tara pull away or grow anger.

"No, oh Goddess no." Tara shook her head as tears sprung to her eyes. "I love you Willow." She said slowly definitely and clearly. "With all of my being, all of my soul, I love you."

"I love you too baby and I missed you so much." Willow eyes welled up with tears but for the first time they didn't seem to involve a complete split within her mind.

"Hold me." Tara pressed herself tighter to the fragile figure beside her. Willow wound her arms around the blonde's body and pulled her as tight as she could. "Do you hate me?" Tara asked as she pressed her face against Willow's cheek.

"No, Tara of course not." Willow shook her head lightly knowing with the close contact Tara would feel it. "It wasn't your fault it was Warren's."

"I wish." Tara began nuzzling into the crook of Willow's neck slightly. "I could remember everything, I mean details."

"What do you want to remember?" Willow's hands opened wide on the blonde's back as she held her close.

"Us…" Tara breathed. "Or first kiss."

"There was a power outage, I bought you a candle and it was extra flamey." Willow whispered putting one hand up to run her fingers through long blonde hair.

"I bet you looked as beautiful then as you do now, in the moonlight." Tara mused feeling the words spark familiarity inside her though no direct memory.

"I was nervous, I probably looked silly." Willow admitted. "But you... you were gorgeous."

"Nervous?" Tara pulled out of her snuggled position for a moment and looked up at Willow. "Why were you nervous?"

"Cause Oz had come back and I was confused, but then I knew it was you I loved." Willow reached up to cup her hand around Tara's cheek. "It wasn't our first, first kiss but we always called it our first kiss cause it was the first night we ever made love."

"You were my first weren't you?" Tara gazed into green eyes and immediately Willow bit her lip and nodded slowly. "You made it beautiful." Her focused on Willow's lip for a moment and then flicked back up to her lover's eyes.

"You have never needed me to make you beautiful, you are beautiful." Willow contradicted lovingly.

"But only you make me believe I am." She admitted. "I want to kiss you Willow." The blonde said after a breath as she moved her hand to cup Willow's cheek like the redhead held hers.

"I want that too." Willow whispered.

Sliding her long fingers back into Willow's hair Tara drew the other woman's face closer and placed her lips over Willow's. A soft sigh escaped from between her lips as she broke the first kiss and followed it with several short but tender kisses over and around Willow's mouth. New warmth spread through her as she repeated the action over and over each kiss making her feel a little more alive.

Willow met each of the kisses with silent awe and wonderment. For so many months, so many conscious moments she had been plagued by the fact that this would never happen again. She would never be graced with a kiss from Tara's sweet lips but here she was receiving them and with each something inside her seemed to ease just a little. Finally taking a little more initiative of her own she kissed back, her lips full over Tara's as she breathed in through her nose and drank in the fact that her lover was alive.

For a moment Tara lost herself completely in the warmth and the pleasure of the kiss, but as she moved to open her mouth she stopped herself and instead pulled back softly.

"You should rest." She said tenderly.

"Sorry." Willow smiled as they separated knowing that the heat and eagerness wasn't just hers alone. It was such a wonderfully overwhelming feeling for this moment to have all her fears, worry and fragmentation overshadowed by something so lovely.

"Sorry?" Tara checked that Willow hadn't meant the kiss.

"Getting carried away." Willow explained softly.

"We have all the time in the world to get carried away Willow. You don have to fight your meds to do it tonight." Tara gave her a beatific smile.

"You still want to though right?" The redhead's voice was anxious with worry. Tara caught hold of Willow's hand and held her green eyes.

"Always." She whispered.

"Me too." Willow smiled again but before she could help it though she was gripped by a long yawn. "Sorry, the medications make me sleepy."

"No sorries sweetie." Tara shook her head. "You want to shift a little, I could hold you while you sleep."

Willow nodded and in a few short movements they were spooned together comfortably under the blankets. The hacker closed her eyes feeling the warmth pouring off of Tara's healing skin to make her sleepy body even more tired.

"I love you." She whispered as contentment drifted through her.

"For always." Tara echoed.

Dawn looked up with a yawn from the computer screen. She was doing her best to follow through most of Willow's already bookmarked sites to find any information she could on the Mage and she'd sent out some posting under Willow's name on the boards for new sightings but so far she'd found nothing.

"You can give it up Dawn." Buffy glanced at her sister.

"I'm going to get some coffee. I can check in a bit to see if anything's come back." Dawn conceded stretching out her arms.

"You could also give up and rest." Her sister smiled at her and put down the book she was looking at.

"No, we need to know what this mage guy is so that we you can kill him and get Xander back." Dawn shook her head.

"If Giles hadn't taken his books with him I could find you a page on Maladic." Anya pouted from her place on the couch.

"I'm sorry that I'm not more useful but I've never heard of him." Madalene apologize as she looked up from her assigned book.

"Its ok." Buffy looked over to the spellcaster. "You're new to the research set up." She tried to make the other woman feel better, especially now as it was obvious that she wasn't the big bad.

"I wish he wasn't on the plane, we need to talk to him." Dawn pouted looking up at the clock.

"He'll be here soon." Buffy encouraged the small group.

"This is so typical of Xander!" Anya suddenly stopped looking at the book on her lap. She stood up and threw the tome onto the chair beside her. "Its so selfish of him to go and get kidnapped." The scowl on her face was deep but it didn't hide the look of fear and worry that was etched into her features behind the mask.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it Anya, he was just trying to do the right thing." Dawn spoke up softly for him.

"Well it's just so inconsiderate of him!" And with those words the vengeance demon suddenly burst into tears and ran off to the cellar door the sound of her high-heeled shoes echoed on the steps as she went down.

"I'll go... mmmmm... talk to her." Dawn waited until no one else volunteered before she went after the demon.

"No wait Dawn." Buffy stood up as her sister reached the basement door. "I'll go."

Xander blinked a little unaccustomed to the bright room as the blindfold was removed from his eyes. As his vision adjusted it was easy to see he was in some sort of warehouse, the tall dirty walls of the bare room ravaged by misuse. His single wooden chair sat in the centre with a stark bight bulb hanging over his head a few feet up. He heard the scuffle of shoes as whoever took the blindfold off moved backwards from him. For a moment he contemplated that he was asleep, having drifted off watching the Godfather or some other movie with gangsters in it but then he remembered being surrounded on Main Street, this was not a dream.

A figure dressed in a dark velvet floor length hooded cloak slowly paced the bare floorboards some three metres away from where Xander was sat. The 'minion' who had removed the blindfold scooted back and stood close to a tall dark structure that almost resembled a small totem pole. The totem appeared to be crafted out of ebony or some equally dark wood. The surface itself seemed tortured in its growth and carving with the symbols and lines upon it almost unrecognisable from this distance.

"Hey, interesting invitation." Xander offered the first words nervously.

"It has to be said you do not have the look of a mage." A low rumbling voice came from somewhere within the hood.

"A mage?" Xander's eyebrow went up as a very deep sink entered his stomach. "Oh I'm a carpenter."

To the side of the figure two more minions joined the one stood by the large pole and began arranging candles around the base of it.

"I find it amusing that you choose to take on a base role among these parasites." The figure addressed Xander again.

"Well you know the base is important too." Xander forced himself to smile briefly.

"Why is it that a warlock of your power relies so heavily on jokes and flawed attempts at humour in an attempt to be accepted?"

As the hooded figure spoke Xander found himself in the greatest dilemma as he bit his tongue. Obviously whoever this was had gotten the wrong information and somehow thought that he, the Xanman was a warlock. The problem was if he told them he wasn't what were they going to do with him?

"Before we move down to business I have a question for you warlock." The figure stopped pacing.

"Shoot." Xander sat up straighter trying to by time.

"How did it feel, to better the witch?" The voice changed to be filled with enthusiasm and energy. "How did it feel to watch her wield her power and then make her fall to her knees?"

"Look here Mr. Funny cloak dude, this witch is my best friend and don't be thinking I'm going to let you just waltz around Sunnydale and hurt her." He stood up and pointed.

"You're friend?" The figure's voice turned to puzzled wonder. "Perhaps I do not understand your language. Do you mean she is now your servant? Do not fear, I do not want to take your minions from you." He scoffed and shook his head beneath the hood.

"My minions are going to really be unhappy when they find out I'm missing." Xander hated using the word but maybe it would get his point across more. "So why don't I just say goodnight and you go away now?"

"You know you are more amusing when you do not try to be." The figure laughed loudly.

"What do you want?" Xander finally questioned directly.

"Well I'm afraid, I can't have you around." The figure actually sounded remorseful. "You see I have heard of your power. How you defeated the Black One and no matter how in awe of you I find myself. I'm afraid I cannot let you continue."

"The Black One? Willow rated as the Black One?" For some reason the phrasing made Xander's blood run cold with worry for his best friend. Just how close had he come to losing her that day?

"My Staff will embrace your power and keep it forever. Though be assured your conquests too will be remembered for eternity." The figure looked at Xander when realised the young man had spoken. "The Black one. She who stained the very sky with her wrath." The figure confirmed. "I would have liked the honour of presenting her power to the staff in offering but it was not to be."

"Wow." Xander sat back down rubbing his head not really listening to much of what was being said other than Willow was world witchy famous in the evil circles. "But come on she didn't stain the sky she just sorta... well she just almost blew up the world. Heavy emphasis on the almost."

"Again I am lost in your use of language and awed a new. By now lesser mages have been withering and pleading me for mercy." The figure was obviously impressed.

"Now you're confusing me. Why would I be afraid?" Xander stood up and to the horror of the minions walked right up and put his hand on the ebony totem. "A big carved bit of wood, buddy you should get yourself a belt sander and ease out some of the cracks in this thing." He appraised it and accidentally kicked over a candle. "Sorry." He reached down without thinking and righted it.

"What?" The air rushed out of the figure's lungs in a surprised gasp. "What trickery is this?" He demanded the tone changing completely into one of rage.

"Look I can relight it." Xander tipped the wick near one of the others to light the candle anew. "And I didn't mean to insult your big piece of wood, you know I bet it's an antique you should bring it to the road show and get it appraised."

"Hold him!" The figure barked at his minions.

Two ran forward pushing Xander forward and grabbed his wrists. Following another silent command they forced him back to place his palms flat against the wood.

For a moment Xander considered fighting but that his captors had dark black eyes made him think maybe biding his time was best again for a bit. Besides Buffy would have noticed he was MIA by now, oh yeah the Slayer was on her way, everything would be fine.

From deep within the hood dark eyes lit to glow out at Xander for a long moment before blinking closed and then turning away.

"The Black One will pay for this trickery." He seethed in a low hiss.

'WILLOW!' Xander screamed in his own head as if somehow he could warn his friend's what was coming.

"XANDER!"

Pushing bolt upright out of Willow's arms, Tara's blue eyes flashed open. A cold sweat broke over her face and hands, her breathing fast and shallow as her heart thumping wildly in her chest and throat.

"Baby?" Willow struggled to open her heavy eyes as the blonde's scream echoed through the house and was soon joined by the trample of hurried steps on the stairs.

"I... I... I'm ok." Tara panted trying to calm her erratic breathing, her hand reached out for Willow's.

"What's wrong?" Buffy came through the door with her stake at the ready for any unwanted visitors.

Willow slipped her hand into Tara's trying very hard to stay awake but being pulled firmly down by the medication that was now fully in her bloodstream.

Gaining more of a hold on herself and the situation Tara looked around the small stunned and worried group and then back at Willow.

"I..." She began but then stopped breaking off completely to cup Willow's check and place a shaky kiss on the soft skin close to her hand. "Give in to it baby, I'm ok." She encouraged the redhead.

Almost instantly the redhead's mouth opened a little as a deep sleepy breath moved in and out of her body. Tara watched her for a moment and then looked at the still gathered crowd.

"I heard Xander." She whispered looking between Buffy and Madalene.

"Heard him like in your head with the telepathy?" Buffy questioned carefully moving to the window just to check nothing was outside.

"Yes. He was scared but alright I think." Tara frowned slightly not recalling enough detail about the flash image and the one word scream of warning.

"Well that's good." Buffy nodded trying to find some solace in the fact that at least he was still alive, that gave her time.

"I don't know how good it was Buffy." Tara dropped her voice and sought to find Buffy's eyes. "He was calling to Willow, but not in fear."

"Calling to Willow?" Buffy picked up on the words.

"He was trying to warn her." She said chillingly.

"Maladic." Buffy cursed the name gripping the shaft of wood tighter.

"Oh she doesn't have anything to worry about from Maladic." Anya blurted out without thinking. "She's not a witch any more. He's only interested in harvesting active powers..." The demon's voice tapered off as she realised just who it was she was looking at in the double bed and indeed who stood just to her right.

"I was really hoping after the Glory thing we weren't going to have to do this but everyone get packed we're moving." Buffy gave the order in a firm voice. "Anya I'm confiscating your apartment."

"My apartment?" The vengeance demon looked horrified. "But there's only one bed in my apartment."

"If Maladic is coming for anyone here is the first place the demons of Sunnydale will send him." Buffy tried to reason with her. "Yeah well we'll make it up to you."

"We should go to the Magic Box." Madalene spoke up suddenly. "The dampening spell you have there will keep him from entering with the staff."

"And just where are we supposed to sleep in the Magic Box?" Anya demanded huffily. "And I will not let you trash it again." She scowled at Buffy.

"There has to be something we can do." Buffy cursed angry that they had seemingly very little to go on.

"There is another way." Madalene moved over and sat on the small chair by the wall.

"Err guys?" Dawn's soft voice called them all to attention before anyone could question further. She nodded to the bed where still in her sitting position Tara had slumped a little sideways to lean against Willow and the blonde witch was sleeping again. "We might want to do the pow wow outside."

"Leave them to rest." Madalene nodded and stood up moving with the others back out into the hallway.

"What are you thinking Madalene?" Buffy called the spellcaster on her point the instant the door slid closed.

"From what Anya explained this Mage is called in by uses of magic." She looked briefly to the demon to see a nod of confirmation. "Magic that he can then conduit into his staff for his own use. So if Willow or Tara is his current focus then perhaps it is necessary that we give him another."

"He's already got Xander, I appreciate what you're offering but we're not big on the bait and wait approach." Buffy shook her head.

"If he comes for them they will be helpless if we are defeated, wouldn't it be better to have this on our terms?" Madalene contradicted the Slayer's position. "And perhaps work quickly enough to save Xander's life?"

"Are you suggesting I'm not trying hard enough to save Xander?" Buffy fixed the spell caster with a hard glare.

"No, I am merely suggesting that we are at a disadvantage and anything we can do to put ourselves back at in a place where you will be the victor is a necessary one." Madalene simply stared back. "I am not completely excited about being bait Buffy, but if it is all I can do then I am attempting."

"Maladic will want to take her powers too." Anya threw in the information to remind the Slayer.

"There has to be a different way than fishing." Buffy began pacing a little.

"Buffy we cant let him hurt Tara or Willow." Dawn's voice had a little whine to it one that the Slayer hadn't heard for a while.

"How can you lure him to you?" Buffy sighed and turned to look at Madalene.

"I do a spell." Madalene smiled softly. "A big spell to get his attention."

"It's a plan but we don't put it into action yet." Buffy couldn't smile at the spellcaster.

"What are we doing then?" Anya injected impatiently.

"We're moving to the Magic Box." Buffy met Anya's interjection quickly. "Everyone will be just a little bit safer there."

"I'll get Willow's meds and stuff." Dawn nodded and moved off down the hall.

Madalene wasn't quite sure what the norm was but everyone had seemingly found their station within the chaos once they relocated to the Magic Box. Tara and Willow had barely noticed the covert move and were now comfortably asleep together on the makeshift bed of crash mats in the back. Dawn, who had fallen asleep on the drive over, had gone to crawl back there with them. Partly as a first line of defence with the large sword she'd taken off the wall and placed near her mat

Buffy on the other hand was completely awake and honestly driving the spellcaster crazy as she paced a firm groove into the floor of the shop. While the demon was sat behind the counter ranting about how horrible this was of Xander to make her worry.

"What spell do you have planned?" Buffy asked of Madalene as she paced never looking up.

"Well as I have explained I don't do dark magic." Madalene carefully closed the tome she was reading but kept her finger in the page she was skimming through. "So I am going to have to walk a fine line in order to properly make myself known to him."

"Well no falling over the line ok." Buffy pointed out. "Done all the fighting I want to with dark magic."

"I have no intention, don't worry." Madalene nodded that she understood. "I was thinking perhaps about turning his own minions against him."

"Subversion, gotta love that." Buffy glanced up briefly.

"How do you know that?" Anya questioned her a bit surprised. "Have you really been reading all these years?"

"Well unlike Xander I've not had a girlfriend to faun over for the last God knows how long so I have to pay some attention." Buffy bit back at her instantly.

"Sorry I was just surprised." Anya frowned.

"No, I'm sorry." Buffy shook her head realising she'd over reacted.

"It will be a type of subversion yes. I hope to be able to call to them in a way they can't resist so that in best case scenario Maladic comes to see who dares mess with him snakes." Madalene smiled now that the slight tiff was over. She understood how high everyone's tempers must be as they holed up here scared.

"I need to go out and do something." Buffy bounced a little on the balls of her feet.

"Well perhaps we could scout a good location to centre them too?" Madalene offered knowing that she wasn't particularly tired either.

"Great idea." Buffy looked up and actually smiled at Madalene. "Both are great ideas."

"Good, please get the impending apocalypse far away from my store." Anya tried to bring back some normal tone to her words.

"We'll find Xander Anya, I promise." Buffy smiled at the demon as she moved to the door. Madalene quickly put a few things in her bag before following the Slayer out.

The spellcaster followed the Slayer through the dark recesses of the cemetery making sure not to break the blonde's concentration or impose on her as they moved.

"Maladic's got them spooked." Buffy glanced around the empty cemetery. "Not exactly good news." She sighed loudly.

"Looks like it." Madalene agreed. "Hopefully we can finish this soon and be free of him."

"Yeah, though wouldn't you have thought a mighty mage or whatever he is would have something more than a little stick standing between him and mortality." Buffy said with a shrug.

"He does." Madalene stopped realizing that Buffy didn't understand. "Until you break the stick he has the font of all the magic he has trapped within it."

"Yeah put it's just a stick." Buffy still didn't grasp what was being said. "You know one good kick and snap!"

"Buffy, imagine that the strength and power of every vampire you had ever killed was in your stake." Madalene motioned to the crafted wooden piece in the Slayer's hand. "Now how easily are you going to give that stake to me and let me snap it in half?"

"I'm trying but Hell Xander broke my tree earlier and that was a tree not a stick." Buffy replied frowning more. "Well no I'm not going to just give you the stake." Almost irrationally she pulled the stake away from Madalene.

"Now what if you could harness the power in that state to make you stronger, faster, more powerful? Would you use that power to keep me from getting your stake?" Madalene tried to keep explaining.

"Okay I get the message, he's not gonna just let me walk up and snap his stick." Buffy shrugged and then screwed her nose up a littler "That sounded kinda…."

"Vulgar." Madalene laughed a little with a grimace and Buffy managed a smile.

"Though hopefully I can keep him busy enough for you to do just that. Until you break the Contric there is no hope of defeating him." Madalene admitted seriously.

"Yep, get that. He's not going to hurt Xander is he? I mean if you wanted to have a yummy feast on magic and found you'd got a baseball instead, you wouldn't want to destroy the baseball would you?" Buffy asked Madalene for her opinion.

"I don't think so no, he only gains angering Willow by killing Xander and I think he'd rather have that card yet to play." The spellcaster was honest.

"Its a great life huh." Buffy gave a small sarcastic grin, but then turned her head in a flash as the bushes beside them shuddered a little. "Oh great now we get action."

Madalene retreated a little towards the Slayer as the bushes rustled again. Buffy dug into her inside pocket in the jacket she wore and pulled out a small stake loaded cross bow.

"Here." She pushed it towards Madalene. "Get ready."

"What do I do with this?" Madalene held the object awkwardly.

"Hmmm did you miss something? Vampires!" Buffy put two fingers to her mouth in place of fangs. "They roam around and I kill them." She took her stake and made stabbing motions with it.

"I know that bit." The brunette held the crossbow by the string. "What do I do with this?" She looked confused. "I'm not a medieval archer."

"You shoot at the vampires." Buffy turned slowly to look at Madalene. "Whoa wait a minute." She said frowning. "You've not done this before have you?"

"Why would you assume I had?" Madalene questioned her almost perturbed.

"Back from the dead, throwing spells around." Buffy outlined her reasons.

"Use of weapons and killing no where in there." She pointed out.

"I'm not criticising but this falls under the title of 'things to tell the Slayer' before volunteering to come out on a patrol with her." Buffy outlined with a tight smile as the bushes shook again and two figures leapt out at them.

"I came to scout locations for the spell." Madalene jumped back as the figured jumped. "You're the Slayer." She remarked trying to duck around a tombstone.

"It's the middle of the night and we're on a Hellmouth." Buffy jumped as one of the vampire who took a clumsy swing at her. She flared out her fist and connected solidly with its jaw sending the undead creature to the ground. "Scouting and slaying - kinda go hand in hand."

"Now she tells me." Madalene awkwardly managed to push away from the strong arms that tried to grab her.

Buffy's vampire assailant scrambled instantly up and threw itself at the Slayer bringing them both down and into a skirmish on the floor.

"Sorry." She called to Madalene as she grabbled with the demon unable to see the spellcaster.

"Buffy!" The witch's voice held a small amount of uncertainty and a lot more fear as she was tackled to the ground by the second vamp.

"Shit!" Buffy cracked her fist into the vamp's face and scooted over to the other pair. Not sure what else to do at short notice, she grabbed the vampire's legs and pulling him backwards off the witch praying that he hadn't gotten a chance to bite her yet.

"Okay so how do you kill these things again? Does fire work?" Madalene spit out the mouthful of grass and dirt she'd been forced to indulge in when she hit the ground.

"Yeah sun, fire, all good." Buffy dodged the first two blows he lashed out at her but the third struck her hard and then she was slammed into being the filling in a vampire slayer sandwich as the other vampire launched himself on her back.

It took the spellcaster a moment to fumble in her bag before she tipped white coloured oil onto her fingers.

"Inferno." Madalene raised her hand up and pointed at the two vampires that immediately began to burn from the instant combustion. Buffy scrambled out of the middle of the withering wailing mess.

"Effective." The Slayer turned and watched as the two vampires disintegrated.

"Elemental magicks." Madalene smiled from her spot on the ground.

"Those I do." She pushed herself up. "Xander wanted me to do it to the bugs, but I had nothing to assist in the ignition. With the oil and their clothes, which are highly flammable, it's a simple spell."

"And let me guess bugs are more flame retardant." Buffy shrugged knowing she would never really need to know the logistics of the spell. "So how did you burn the bugs?"

"Xander had a magazine, I did a very controlled spontaneous ignition on that and then used an amplifying spell to make it into a fire ball." Madalene brushed herself off. "But yes they were very fire retardant."

"Lucky you had the magazine." Buffy pressed her fingers to the small bleeding cut on her cheek and smiled.

"If not you'd be hunting down a horde of bugs for killing Xander and I." Madalene dug around in her bag and offered the Slayer a handkerchief.

"Thanks." Buffy took it and held it to her cheek. "And hey look at you!" The Slayer smiled brightly. "Your first fight and I'm the one with the bruises."

"I'm sorry I didn't think to mention before about my limited abilities."

Madalene apologized softly.

"It's ok, I shouldn't have assumed." Buffy shook her head. "Come on, lets scope around a little more and then head back. We're gonna need rest."

"We will." The witch bent down to pick up the crossbow that picked the inopportune time to go off sending the bolt soaring through the air aimlessly. "Though you might have to show me how to use this so I don't accidentally kill someone." She added sheepishly.

-x-

Buffy lifted her head off the book it rested against with a start as she heard a loud knock on the front door. Disoriented and still half-asleep she looked around trying to get her bearings. She didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, she hadn't planned on it but at least now there was sunlight streaming in between the slats of the shutters on the front window and that meant the imminent danger of the night was over.

Walking over to the window she peered out almost more surprised to see it was Giles standing there and not a demon. Quickly she undid the bolt and chain off the door and moved back the large metal box they'd put at the bottom to offer a bit more security.

"You're not supposed to get in..." She looked down at her watch. "Oh sorry." She apologised realising no one had gone to meet him at the airport.

"It's quite alright, by the time I had got to the house and found that there was no one there I realised that something must have happened and I had managed an earlier flight." Succinctly the Watcher explained everything before taking a breath and giving the Slayer a smile. "Hello Buffy, how are you?" He asked warmly.

"I'm so glad to see you." Buffy stepped forward and hugged him tightly causing him to drop the luggage he'd be carrying. Softening his look of surprise, Giles closed his arms around the young woman and held her as tightly as he could.

"Is the world ending again?" He asked affectionately as they drew apart.

"Sorta." Buffy nodded pulling back and trying to compose herself. "But we can talk about that later. First you have to see Tara." She knew this would be the fact playing most on his mind.

Giles again smiled, though this time there appeared to be a trace of concern to the look.

"Let me just pick up my luggage again and then use a mirror to check my dishevelled state." He pushed the glasses back up his nose a little. "That flight is a horror."

"Everyone's asleep in the back." Buffy reached down to get the bigger bag and went to drop it by the counter. "We had a late night and with the move here and all." She stopped. "Oh Willow needs her meds." She remembered the time and quickly moved over to the small case that Dawn had packed to retrieve them.

"How is Willow?" Giles smoothed his hair a little as he peered in the reflective glass in one of the display units.

"She's up and down but Tara is helping so much." Buffy palmed the group of pills and went to get some water from the small office behind the cash register. "She had an episode yesterday but Tara had her calm in about two minutes, which as I told Tara is a record."

Moving his arms a little to release the tension in them, he then stripped off his jacket and moved to lay it neatly over the counter revealing a smart, but rather uncharacteristically casual grey top

"I honestly don't think any of us can predict just what effect this will have on Willow." He said as he turned to watch Buffy's preparation.

"Mostly it's made her sleepy." Buffy looked up at him and smiled. "Which I mean isn't a bad thing and she seems more content."

"Oh my God Giles!" A more than familiar call came from the vengeance demon as the door to the back drew open and Anya more or less flew out, throwing herself into the Englishman's arms.

"Oh, Anya." Giles did his best to contend with the enthusiastic and yet obviously distraught demon.

"Did she tell you, did she?" Her voice came out as a horribly hurried torrent.

"About Tara, yes that's why I'm here." Giles said calmly trying to disengage himself.

"Not yet Anya, he just got through the door." Buffy hissed at her.

"Not about her." Anya glared back at Buffy undaunted. "About Xander."

"Xander?" Giles threw a puzzled expression Buffy's way.

"Okay so the explanation that was going to wait can't really wait. Xander's been kidnapped." Buffy summed up. "Some mage called Maladic is in town to harvest witchy energy and for some reason he snatched Xander."

"Well that was a bit of a bad calculation on his part." Giles said brightly to receive a look that could have killed from the vengeance demon beside him. "I… I mean, when?" He made his voice sombre.

"Late last night." Buffy filled in trying to avoid Anya's look. "We think the demon rumours of me having a harem of witches got a bit muddled to include Xander but Tara got a telepathic message from him trying to warn Willow. So we think Willow is the main target."

"And you've heard nothing from this Maladic? I seem to recall that name." He continued immediately walking off towards the bookshelves pausing only a moment before selecting a book and flicking it open. "Yes, here." He said pointing to the text as the Slayer and Anya stared at him dumbfounded. "What?" He said looking up in confusion.

"She said you took the helpful book with you." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Good lord why would I do that it's worth $55.99 and not rare, I could make a good sale on it." Giles looked a little bemused as he put the book down. "The good news for Xander is that he's a Magic drainer, not a murderer. He may well just let Xander go when he realises."

"The bad news Giles is we have three very big named witches in the back." Buffy moved over to the table and pointed over her shoulder to the ajar training room door.

"Well yes there is..." Giles' voice literally disappeared and the Englishman just stood for a moment just staring.

"I... I h-heard noises is everyone..." Tara leaned heavily on the doorframe as she looked at Buffy and Anya and then more or less fixed eyes with Giles.

"Tara." Giles voice was a whisper a tear forming in his dark eyes as he looked at the tall blonde.

"M-M-Mr. Giles?" Tara whispered back making the logical guess at the man's identity.

"My dear girl." Giles took three long strides across the room and closed his arms around the Wicca. Tara laid her head almost childlike on his shoulder that caused the Englishman to raise his hand and gently cover the side of her head rocking her softly.

"Oh we have missed you." He whispered tenderly.

"Where as I feel mean to break up this emotional reunion." Anya interjected suddenly though before she continued the demon had to wipe a tear from her cheek. "My boyfriend... I mean Xander, the coward is still missing and we should be doing something to get him back."

Almost as if suddenly realising the slip in his oh so British demeanour Giles pulled back a little from Tara though as the young witch wobbled slightly as he moved and gently took her hand and guided her to a chair.

"Anya I'm not going to let anything happen to Xander." Buffy shook her head blinking her own misted eyes.

"Have we heard anything?" Tara asked smiling thankfully Giles for his support and at Buffy for her really soft dealing with Anya.

"Nothing." Buffy shook her head.

"Which is probably good, right?" Dawn's young voice said from the doorway that Tara had recently vacated as the teenager appeared.

"Means he's plotting his next move I think." Buffy picked the glass of water back up from the table. "Is Willow awake?"

"Dawn." Giles smiled again and moved to give the teenager what could only be described as a fatherly hug. She shook her head in the hug closing her eyes to absorb the comfort he offered.

"Neither is Madalene." She informed her sister finally as they parted a little.

"I guess they can wait for a bit." Buffy shrugged and put the pills down carefully with the glass.

Everyone in the room visibly jumped when a loud bang, bang sounded on the front door. Most eyes fell on Buffy to answer it.

"Everyone stay here." Buffy warned moving over to the side to pick up a dagger before she moved to the door peering out to check who was there. Again she was a little surprised to see just a guy in a suit standing adjusting his tie.

"The shop's closed." She yelled out to him.

"We have business to discuss with The Dark One." The man spoke in plural but he was obviously alone in the street.

"Sorry buddy we don't have a Dark One here." Buffy answered him shortly.

"You lie, my master has traced a great magic to this place." He answered angrily.

"Who's your master?" The Slayer questioned feeling a chill go through her spine as she registered who 'The Dark One' may be.

"The Great Mage Maladic." He announced proudly. "Now let me in."

"No better yet." Buffy opened the door to strong arm the newcomer backwards a little as she pulled the door closed. "We talk out here."

"Who are you infidel?" The man squeaked obviously shocked by the fact that Buffy had stood up defiantly against him.

"Newsflash mage maggot, I'm the Slayer. You want to talk to The Dark One you do it through me." Buffy folded her arms over her chest.

"Ah another of the Dark One's minions, like the other we hold you possess no threat to us." The messenger sneered.

"Oh I possess more of a threat then you know and you can tell Maladic he better not hurt Xander." Buffy's face settled into a hard glare.

"The Minion is of no threat my master is no murderer." The man almost chastised Buffy.

"So what does your master want?" Buffy cut to the chase.

"Just a visitation with the Dark One, a chance to return her minion, offer an apology for the error." The man bowed his head.

"He just want to apologize and then get out of town?" Buffy questioned more than sceptical.

"The Dark One has my master's respect minion." The messenger answered.

"Where and when?" Buffy nodded.

"The address is here." The minion passed Buffy a slip of paper. "I am to offer myself as a proof of my master's plan."

"Oh like a magic snack?" Buffy tried to act nonchalant though her mind was reeling.

"I do not understand your words minion." The man looked bemused.

"Your master sent you for my master to eat you so that she knows this meeting is all good and not a trap?" Buffy grinned.

"I think my master expects my safe return." For the first time in there discussion the messenger looked unnerved.

"Oh right." Buffy smiled and pushed the door open putting her arm around his shoulder to ease him inside. "Well I'm sure you're master was right, I mean she hasn't really eaten anyone in a few hours." She closed the door pacing a bit back from him as he turned to eye the others. In a sure move she smacked the handle of the dagger into the back of his head and sent him crumbling down into unconsciousness.

"What's that?" Anya squeaked staring at Buffy and the stranger as he slumped to the floor. Tara made a wincing sound as she watched the figure dropped and Giles' held his hand up in front of Dawn's eyes.

"Maladic's minion, the mage wants a meeting to apologize for taking Xander." Buffy reached down and pulled him over to the side out of the way. "He wants a meeting with..." She looked at Giles. "The Dark One."

"Willow." Giles said lowering his hand as if it came as no surprise.

"Willow?" Tara's voice was a stifled gasp.

"Since when has Willow been 'The Dark One'?" Buffy's showed her annoyance as she tied the minion up and gagged him for when he woke up. "Cause no one mentioned this to me."

"Since the mad rampaging wrath witch." Anya huffed loudly. "You think that kind of thing goes unnoticed?" She scoffed at their naivety.

"Well I had hoped maybe someone would have warned THE SLAYER that her best friend was a world famous evil witch." Buffy snapped at them all. "You know given me time to have a contingency plan for stuff like this."

"I'm sorry Buffy it never occurred to me that this would happen." Giles truly sounded apologetic.

"Great, you never though of it but we are so screwed." Buffy grumbled as she began pacing.

"M-M-Maladic is here for Willow." Tara blinked her wide blue eyes staring at Buffy for an answer, her initial colour that morning draining from her cheeks in almost an instant.

"He wants a meeting with The Dark One to apologize and return her minion." Buffy tried to explain instantly stopping her pace. "He doesn't want Willow and it doesn't matter she's not going anywhere near him."

"You will bring him The Dark One." Madalene slowly walked into the room having heard most of the conversation through the open door.

"NO!" Tara turned and stared hard at the spellcaster.

"Madalene, you've had some great input till now but listen to me when I tell you Willow is not going anywhere near him." Buffy shook her head underlining Tara's words. Giles too looked at the new arrival with a furrowed brow.

"You misunderstand." Madalene put up her hand. "Maladic has never met or seen Willow for all he knows I am The Dark One." She gave them a knowing smile. "He will have no reason to believe otherwise unless Buffy fails to break the Contric and he actually does drain me."

"This sounds like the bait theory." Dawn spoke up. "I thought we'd negated the bait theory yesterday." She shook her head slightly.

"I should do it." Tara spoke from her place. A round robin of 'no' chorused from everyone.

"Well now that little point has been clarified." Giles began moving he wandered over and patted Tara's shoulder understandingly. "I'm taking it you are Madalene." He extended his hand to the spellcaster.

"Yes, Madalene Slean." She smiled and reached out to shake his hand firmly. "Mr. Giles I assume?"

"You do realise that what you are proposing is both dangerous and positively foolish?" He looked into her eyes continuously.

"I assure you I am not normally brave nor heroic that I know of but this is our best chance to defeat him." Madalene held his eyes. "And if someone else goes and they fail, I will still be on his menu."

"Don't get me wrong young lady, I am not suggesting your plan is wrong." Giles said much to the surprise of more of less everyone in the room. "I am merely checking that you know what you are doing."

"Giles?" Dawn squeaked again.

"My dear Dawn." The Watcher turned to look at her softly. "We are faced with a problem as Maladic will expect The Dark One to honour his offer. Since I am taking it that Xander was mistaken for a magic user, this time he will at least put up some kind of magic register, to ensure that he is not fooled a second time. Our options here are limited between Tara or Madalene."

*What spell could I perform to prove to you that I am capable?* Madalene pushed her mind into his to ask the question.

"I would naturally offer myself..." The Englishman stuttered to a halt as Madalene asked, he turned to regard the spellcaster again.

"Please, don't do that again." He reprimanded though his tone was still soft.

"My apology." Madalene bowed her head a little. "I was only trying to prove a point."

"I am aware of that but it is not a point that needed to be made." He smiled. "You are our only option."

"Hey lets not get all wiggy here," Buffy spoke up. "I'm just gonna get in there and snap his t..." The Slayer stopped remembering the phrase from the night before. "It's all about the staff right?" She changed her line.

Giles nodded and crossed back over to the table picking up the book again and passing it to Buffy, tapping with his finger to the ebony staff in the mage's hand.

"This is an ancient stencil cut of the mage." He explained.

"Walking stick, trust me I can snap that." Buffy grinned.

"It's imperative that you do." Giles gave Buffy a semi-scowl to underline the importance of the situation.

"Giles I get it. If I don't break it he's going to kill everyone with any magic ability so trust me I get it." Buffy scowled back.

"He doesn't kill anyone Buffy." Giles continued to scowl. "Usually his victims do that bit themselves after."He added sorrowfully.

"What does he do when he sucks there magic out?" Buffy frowned not understanding.

"We all know what happens after great magic drain Buffy." Giles could not help but glance over his shoulder towards the door to the backroom.

"Oh I am so breaking that stick!" Buffy growled down at the book.

"When are you going?" Anya piped up almost too brightly and on her prompting Buffy unfolded the piece of paper in her hand.

"Noon." She read over the calligraphy.

Willow hung in the doorway for a moment looking at the hustle and bustle in the main area of the shop. Anya and Dawn seemed absent, while Madalene and Buffy leaned over papers discussing strategy. The one person that surprised her was the tall English gentleman that was hovering over Tara.

"Giles?" Willow blinked a few times making sure that she wasn't hallucinating.

"Willow." The Watcher stood up fully and turned pulling his glasses off his face to rest them on the table. Beaming her moved over in the direction of the redhead.

"You're here?" Willow smiled a little as he looked at her.

"I've only just arrived." He assured her taking a few slow steps towards Willow.

"Did you see? Tara's alive." Willow looked beyond him for a minute smiling at the blonde. Tara smiled lovingly back at her happy to see that Willow was having a good morning.

Slowly Giles opened his arms to her offering but not forcing a hug. Looking back she saw his open arms and slowly shuffled into them.

"I've seen Willow." He assured her gently encompassing her with his arms rubbing softly the light T-shirt on her back.

"It's all going to be all right now." She whispered into the soft material of his shirt.

"Yes." Giles soothed as he looked up and caught Buffy's eyes and smiled though there was great sadness behind his smile.

"I haven't taken my meds yet." She pulled back a little winding her arms around herself.

"I believe Buffy has them all ready for you." Giles too pulled back and moved off to stand close to the bookshelves.

"Yeah Willow, right here." Buffy moved aside from the papers to retrieve them and pull a chair over near Tara for her. The hacker shuffled over and took her spot.

"Hi baby." She smiled at Tara.

"Hi sweetie." Without thinking anything of it Tara leaned over and kissed Willow's cheek. The move caused the Englishman to blush slightly and he turned his attention to the books beside him.

"Mmmm good morning." Willow grinned under the kiss and reached up for her pills.

"Oops sorry." Tara grinned a little as everyone reacted.

"Hey we enjoy the happy kisses." Buffy grinned ear to ear. "Dawn's bringing you back a special breakfast Wills."

"I tried to push for something more nutritious than donuts." Giles turned back round feeling a little foolish about his momentary blush.

"We're getting donuts and nutritious." Buffy laughed and moved back around to her seat.

"If Xander gets his way there will be donuts." Willow giggled as she finished her pills.

It would have been nearly impossible to miss the flash of discomfort that filled a sudden void before Tara slipped her hand onto Willow's knee.

"You need nutrition too." Tara squeezed her had lightly as Willow looked at her lover's hand and then moved up to Tara's blue eyes.

"But that's not what I was going to say..." She continued as green eyes hit blue. "Sweetie." She took a little breath and moved so that all Willow needed to see and take in was her face. For the moment Willow was held captivated.

"Remember when you woke up earlier, and you were scared because you didn't know where you were, and I told you it was ok because we were at the magic box..." Tara began softly.

"Yes, it was very scary but you were there." Willow nodded.

With a slow movement Tara lifted her hand and twisted her fingers round a lock of red hair.

"I was, and I still am." Tara briefly underlined. "Well we came here because something has happened and right now, something, someone has Xander. BUT…" She added quickly the hand on Willow's knee moving in a soft stroking motion. "It's ok." She stressed her tone even and calm. "Because we know how and when we're getting him back."

Willow's body went taunt, her breathing came through her nose with a hard forced whistle. Tara shifted her hand from the lock of hair near Willow's shoulder and rested it lightly on her lover's cheek.

"Baby…" She whispered. "Baby, look at me." Her voice was a melodious purr as her eyes never wavered once from staring lovingly into green. For the first time Willow blinked though her body didn't relax.

"I wouldn't lie to you." She kept up all her soothing actions. "And I promise he's ok and he'll soon be back." She slid her hand up from Willow's cheek up into her red hair to ease through it once down its full length before she moved it back to rest her palm once again where it had started.

"You promise?" Willow's voice was hollow.

"I promise." Tara vowed as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Willow's suddenly chilled cheek. The redhead bobbed slightly to nod that she believed her.

"Thank you." Tara smiled as she moved her hand and made a move to sit back properly in her seat though she hesitated for a moment wondering if Willow wanted her to move yet. Willow whimpered slightly her hand coming out to catch onto Tara's arm.

"I'm right here sweetie." Tara instantly moved back and slid forward, closing her arms around her lover and holding her tight. "I love you." She whispered.

Willow responded without words as she tucked her head against Tara's neck and held on tight.

Buffy released a lung full of air, having held her breath the whole time in preparation for a full Willow meltdown.

"Miracle number three." She whispered almost silently.

Buffy closed the door of the small internal office behind her as she watched Giles cross around reluctantly and sit behind the desk. Anya in his extended absence had obviously made the office her own, the edge of the desk holding some of the shops more important pieces hidden among others of no use or value.

Breakfast had gone well and though she knew if she kept pointing it out she'd be pressing her luck seeing Willow eating as if she was actually enjoying it had been something that almost choked her too the point that she couldn't finish her own meal. She suspected of course it had something to do with Tara's careful arrangement of the little strips of bacon and the apparently 'sassy' eggs into a happy face.

"So any last minute Watchery advice on this whole plan?" Buffy turned and reached down picking up the plastic stress ball that Anya used as a paperweight, she squished it flat in her hand.

"Be careful." Giles gave the short almost sombre reply.

"That's it?" Buffy raised her eyebrows.

"Well I could bore you rigid with facts and figures." Giles pulled off his glasses and cleaned them meticulously.

"I've missed the rigid." Buffy sat on the edge of the desk.

"I'm sure you haven't had the time." The Watcher stood up moving over to the door as if worried Tara would have disappeared, cracking the door open he looked through to the shop before slipping his glasses back on.

"Do you think she can pull it off?" Buffy followed his gaze smiling as she watched Tara sitting on one of the benches brushing Willow's hair.

"Madalene?" Giles checked they were talking about the same thing before answering.

"Yeah." Buffy nodded not turning from the interaction. A soft sigh escaped her as for a moment she realized that there was no one in her life that filled that magnitude of emotion and devotion. "I have no magic sense, you're the one with all the mojo."

"Well hopefully this won't have so much to do with mojo as it will with your ability to eliminate the staff and I am sure the Madalene that Anya presents us with after her 'makeover' will be a suitable stand in for The Dark One." Giles' tone was almost undistinguishable.

"You know what Anya has planned is scaring me more than the big stick." Buffy finally looked back at the Watcher. "You're being super quite, is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Now Buffy when have I ever been anything less than open and honest with you." The Watcher almost scowled at the Slayer, which in itself was unusual.

"Okay now you're freaking me out, what is up?" Buffy turned and looked at him seriously. "Usually I'm getting the long drawn out facts and forty thousands years of history on the staff but you're not saying anything, you're all tight lipped like there is some big thing you're not telling me."

"I am not." Giles raised his hand to his mouth frowning.

"Giles' I really don't have the nerves for you holding out on me. I need to know what you know." Buffy pushed.

"I don't know anything actually which is the problem." Giles admitted leaning against the doorframe.

"Nothing?" Buffy's voice dropped a bit softer being really surprised.

"Not really, no." Giles shook his head.

"So I guess you'll be bugging Mads for her useful books then?" Buffy leaned back against the wall.

"She has them?" Giles sounded sceptical. "I would be surprised if she did Buffy." He admitted.

"Well she said all she's done is research." The Slayer qualified. "Trying to understand what she is, what she is about."

"Well that I can at least partially answer for her." The Englishman's face softened slightly. "She's a demon human hybrid." He paused and looked back out to the shop. "As is Tara." His voice grew darker.

"Yeah which means what to me?" Buffy sucked her tongue over her teeth feeling her stomach drop.

"It may mean nothing, it may mean everything." Giles sighed again. "The Council were less than helpful Buffy." He pushed away from the wall.

"Giles less with the cryptic more with the explanation." Buffy moved a chair over and sat down.

"Tea?" He pointed to the small electric kettle. "Is there still any tea here?" He added frowning.

"I still don't drink it." Buffy shook her head. "But yeah Anya keeps it in the drawer for you."

"Oh right." Within a moment Giles had located it. "I mentioned to them something about the situation." He began making his drink.

"In a covert don't come to Sunnydale cause I am so in the mood to kick their ass way?" She underlined squishing the stress ball again.

"I'm afraid I might have approached the whole thing slightly wrong." Giles played uncomfortably with the teaspoon.

"What?" Buffy's jaw dropped.

"They want me to take Tara back to England." Giles replied quietly.

"Mmmmm and you informed them not likely?" Buffy flipped her hand over and ground the squished ball into the table.

"Well no..." Giles paused waiting for the Slayer's anger to fall.

"She's not going anywhere." Buffy underlined with a firm voice.

"Buffy they just want to talk to her, perhaps do a little research." Giles tried to argue.

"Giles whatever they want from her there is someone that she needs and who needs her a thousand times more." Buffy couldn't believe what the Watcher was suggesting. "And just cause we finally found yet another thing the Council has never seen doesn't mean they are going to walk in and swoop her up to be an experiment."

"I understand that right now is not a good time to take her anywhere." Giles retorted. "But she might want answers Buffy and I cant give them to her yet."

"If she wants answers we'll get them for her cause someone out there has to know about all this cause apparently its been going for ages. But we don't do anything unless she wants too." Buffy leaned back in her chair.

"I understand your feelings on this matter Buffy..." The Watcher began but then he stopped. "No, you're right." He shook his head. "She's where she belongs."

"You said you found out something." Buffy moved back to his original statement.

"I've found legends Buffy." Giles slipped back into answer mode. "Stories that tell of people of a certain clan being almost indestructible, returning to life after dreadful injury. Sometimes taking years to return to their people and often not returning to their people at all, but taking themselves off into a new place to become legends elsewhere." The Watcher relayed the information he had gathered.

"A clan?" The Slayer picked up on the words.

"Yes." Giles nodded.

"Clans like as in cave people clans?" She made a confused face.

"A clan as in a related group of people." Giles clarified.

"Oh right... not like the Cave Bear one with that tall woman from Splash." She nodded again. "So what else was in the legends?"

Giles frowned momentarily in complete confusion before settling back onto the topic of his information.

"Not a lot." He finally spoke and Buffy was completely perturbed by his lack of information, he usually had something even if it was wrong in the end.

"Well how far back do they go?" She pushed.

"Tracing the origin of the clan is proving to be quite difficult." He went on to explain. "You see there are ancient references to such people in many cultures."

"How ancient?" Buffy caught the word that the Watcher rarely used.

"Ancient Greece, the far East, Egypt." He sipped at his tea.

"So they've been around for like ever?" Buffy chortled as she gave the simple answer.

"Well…" Giles paused trying to come up with some deeply intellectual reply. "Yes." The small word was all he could manage.

"Giles, maybe I'm just the Slayer but how can a hybrid family with a few oh thousand years of history not have more than a crappy legend about people dying and coming back?" Buffy looked at him in disbelief.

"Probably because they don't remember doing it." Giles put forward logically. "The accounts of such events happening trail off dramatically as you get into relatively newer history. As a reference point I am talking the last three hundred years or so."

"So recent." Buffy grumbled.

"And of course there is the matter that such tales often revolve around groups of magic users, one must remember that witches went through a number of years of shall we say, bad press." Giles tried to apply a catchy up to date phrase into his speech.

"Okay so much with the bad press and the forgettingness of the whole rising." Buffy nodded realizing a little more how hard finding something must be.

"And add in the fact that of course, who would believe it?" Giles put forward honesty. "Without cries of Voodoo and zombies." He put in the clause.

"No voodoo and no zombie." Buffy felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she relieved the moment she'd peered around the caskets lid to see Tara's angelic face.

"No, for a start Madalene doesn't have the look of a zombie mistress." Giles paused thoughtfully.

"Look Giles we went through the Madalene is the evil one phase around here, I for one want to put that one away." Buffy spoke honestly. "I mean she doesn't have to be doing this whole sacrificial lamb thing, she can't even hold a crossbow right."

"Actually that was me putting aside the thought of Madalene as anything but a helpful source in this matter." Giles outlined clearly.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." Buffy sighed softly. "I just don't like the idea of anyone having their sights on Willow, not when she can't even defend herself."

"I know." Giles put down his tea and crossed over to the chair where Buffy was sat he patted her arm lightly. "You can beat Maladic though." He added confidently.

"How's that sweetie?" Tara gently put the brush she had been using on Willow's hair down on the table in front of them. She stroked her hand over the smooth red locks.

"Feels nice." Willow nodded her eyes a little heavy.

"Looks like my precious is feeling sleepy, all that goodly food in your belly." With a warm smile Tara reached out and carefully rubbed Willow's stomach through the top she was wearing.

"I like it when you do that." The redhead smiled with a slight giggle.

"That's good because I like doing it." Tara repeated the action with a broad smile. "You have such a rubbable little belly."

"The doctor says I'm too thin." Willow recounted softly.

"Does he?" Tara frowned for the briefest of seconds.

"She... she sees me every Tuesday. Buffy told her I'd put on weight so they don't make me get a tube." Willow's head ducked a little causing shiny red hair to ease forward to cover her cheeks.

Almost as if drawn to do so, Dawn looked up from her silent place at the table and looked across at Tara, meeting somewhat horrified blue eyes as she did so. The teenager nodded that it was indeed true.

"I'm so pathetic." A hoarse ashamed voice pushed out of Willow's body, hanging in stark contrast to her jovial mood before then.

"What?" The word escaped from Tara's lips as a breathed whisper. Blue and brown eyes regarded the redhead in disbelief.

"I can't eat, I can't sleep. I can't do anything without all the pills." Willow turned a little her hair hanging further over her face as she tucked her hands into her lap.

"No Willow it… it isn't like that." It was Dawn's edgy voice that replied. "The pills, they just help you do better."

"Just little atoms running inside me to make things run right after I broke them, a little broken engine on the Willow car and no one has spare parts." Willow reached one hand up cupping it to her neck as she clawed her fingers into her skin lightly.

"There is no Willow car." Taking a breath Tara eased out of the seat and down onto her knees, hoping that she would at least be able to stay up on them for a while. She manoeuvred so that she was in front of the redhead. "You're a salt shaker." The blonde assessed blinking her blue eyes upward at green. Green eyes blinked away self-loathing as confusion set in instead. "You're a salt shaker and I'm a pepper pot." She clarified as she looked into Willow's eyes.

"I give people high blood pressure and you make them sneeze?" Willow's hand relaxed as she appraised her girlfriend's face. Tara chuckled softly and shook her head.

"No, we were there a while ago, together, perfect matches, side by side on the dining table of life and then someone took the pepper away." She continued her analogy. "And that left the salt and though the salt was still there, it wasn't the same. It wasn't broken, it wasn't wrong, it was still salt but it wasn't the same because it needed its pepper. Like it still did all the things salt should do but no one knew that because without the pepper it couldn't do what it was meant to properly."

"Was the pepper okay without its salt?" Willow dropped her hand and seemed to lean it down without looking in a search for Tara's.

"How could it be?" Tara blinked slowly and smiled lifting her hand into Willow's. "They need each other to be all they can be."

Willow smiled a little as her hand was filled by Tara's warm one. She bounced her leg for a moment as if something was brewing in her head again.

"What is it sweetie?" Tara encouraged her lover to talk.

"Dawnie can explain it better, but I have good and bad days. I think they'll be more good days now." Willow whispered briefly looking up to the teenager. "I don't like the medication." She whispered even softer as if it was something she shouldn't say. She knew enough to know that neither of the Summers girl enjoyed making her take anything, in fact she'd pretended to be asleep once when Buffy had started crying and apologizing for having a particular pushy med time.

"But its important you take it, just until the doctors say we can stop." Tara realised that this was something that had to be done right.

"Which is bound to be soon now." Dawn echoed positively. Tara turned and nodded her encouragement to the teenager.

"Okay." Willow nodded gently.

"You can't disagree with Dawnie, you know that don't you?" Tara grinned at the doe eyed youth and then at her lover. "Because she's the ketchup."

"What does that make Buffy?" Willow smiled more and even managed a slight giggle at the image.

"Mmmmm." Tara paused thoughtfully realising she was running out of condiments.

"Oh that's obvious." Dawn piped up. "She's the knife and fork." The teenager made stabbing motions with her hand.

"Does that mean Xander's a napkin?" Willow giggled more.

"I think my analogy just got out of hand." Tara giggled with her.

"Oh and Anya, Anya is a spoon." Dawn giggled along. "All scoopy-uppy, and Giles is the tablecloth cause he's kinda square!" The teenager laughed loudly as Tara rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"We're a whole Scooby table." Willow grinned.

Suddenly the phone on the counter top began ringing. Dawn looked round instantly getting up and heading towards it.

"That's probably Anya." She announced knowing they'd made sure the demon was going to call before she returned. "I'll get it, you two carry on." She encouraged them to not pay attention to her.

Tara watched the teenager scoot to the phone and begin a conversation, obviously with the vengeance demon.

"Just what are we meant to be carrying on." She asked turning back to look at Willow.

"I don't know." Willow shook her head. "What do you want to do?" She asked looking at Tara thoughtfully.

"Mmmmm…" Tara hummed softly. "How strong are you feeling?"

"I feel okay." Willow nodded.

"Okay enough to take this rather weak blonde pepper pot for a walk say round the back room?" Tara poised knowing that if Anya was coming back to the shop soon it was her job to get Willow safely tucked in the back.

"Mighty Willow salt shaker." The redhead smiled and squeezed the hand in her own.

"I love you." Tara whispered tenderly.

"I love you too." Willow whispered back leaning down to hug her for a moment before helping the blonde up to stand.

Anya poked her head in through the Magic Box door to take a quick peek around.

"Did you get Willow in the back?" She questioned to Giles who was the closest to the door as he paced around with a book.

"Tara did, some time ago." Giles replied in a hushed voice.

"Good." The demon nodded and stepped in. "Now we agreed no one else other than the unstable ones freak out, yes?" She checked looking around to everyone. "Cause I have to say even I would have trouble not thinking it was Willow." She smiled proudly.

"Anya we need to get on with this." Buffy hissed as she walked closer it was obvious that the Slayer's tension was high.

"Fine, ruin my introduction." Anya stepped back and motioned to somewhere past the doorway. "I present The Dark One." She waved and stepped aside more.

It might have been a trick of the light or just a passing clouds shadow but the doorway to the magic box seemed to dim as a small slim figure filled it. Heavy boots echoed on the wood floor as confident steps took the figure in a bit further before black leather hips cocked to one side. A tight black coat buttoned stiffly up the slim body to a pale throat that was framed by pitch-black shoulder length hair. The spellcaster's skin was powdered down to an almost luminous hue, with the hints of horrifying black veins peering out of translucent skin at her temples.

"Will I pass?" Madalene spoke in the deeper confident voice Anya had been practicing on her as she gazed at them all with midnight eyes.

Unwittingly Dawn had taken a step back on her entrance and Buffy had taken several to put herself more in front of the teenager. The Watcher however remained in his place taking a long slow look at the spellcaster.

"Contacts, a great demon who does makeup for horror flicks and costumes from that leather shop. Isn't it just scary how good I am?" Anya gushed proudly.

"A remarkable job Anya." Giles complimented the demon. "How is it?" he asked of Madalene while the Slayer and her sister just continued to stare.

"The contacts are distracting but manageable." Madalene nodded letting her body pose relax and taking on a much more her position as she placed her arms behind herself. "And I'm now convinced I prefer a somewhat more conventional cotton wardrobe, so I wasn't a biker before I died."

"We should really be out of here quickly before Willow gets even the chance to see." Buffy didn't make any other comment other than to hurry along their departure.

"Definitely." Madalene nodded and stepped back towards the door.

"Take an axe Buffy." Dawn called crossing quickly to pick up the weapon she had moved out from the training room earlier.

"She's a slayer Dawn not a lumberjack." Anya chided as Buffy took the weapon.

"Lets just do this." Buffy said quickly. "Giles, Anya, Dawn, stay right here." She stressed as she left with the spellcaster.

"I'm trying to think of a way to make Xander pay for all the worry he has caused, I am sure if I were still human I would have at least three grey hairs because of him, I mean how selfish is that?" Anya stared at Dawn who looked up from where she sat reading a history textbook near the table.

"Anya, he didn't get kidnapped on purpose it was a misunderstanding." Dawn rolled her eyes. "I mean why would Xander purposely get kidnapped? Just so you'd realize your still in love with him just as much as he is with you?" She questioned looking down with a smirk.

Giles was stood at the counter browsing through the book he had briefly shown Buffy that gave them the basic illustration of Maladic and the Contoric staff.

"I am not!" Anya squeaked. "Giles, tell her, tell her to stop teasing me."

"Giles, tell her it's so obvious." Dawn looked up pleading her point.

"I'm sorry what's obvious?" He asked but without breaking his concentration on the text.

"That Anya still is all love struck on Xander." Dawn filled him in.

"Hmmm most probably." The Watcher didn't seem at all interested either way.

"See Giles agrees, I win." Dawn grinned broadly.

"Most probably what? Wait no you don't that's not an answer." The vengeance demon pouted placing her hand firmly on her hip.

"Come on Giles tell her I'm right." Dawn egged him to join the conversation more.

Everyone waited for a moment for the Watcher to speak, when he didn't Anya jumped in again.

"It's so typical of you to go all pithy when real answers are needed and they are needed. I need to know if you think Xander is still in love with me, I mean its important, I could be standing on the brink of happiness, and no one has told me."

"Dawn, get me Ruggards New mythology off the shelf." Giles suddenly walked forward putting the book he held down on the table.

"Of course he loves you." Dawn stood up and moved over to pick up the book and hold it out to him. "I mean he's never not loved you he just got scared."

"No, no down here." Giles pointed to the table top where he wanted it "And the 18th century African tribal legends book." It was subtly clear that the Watcher was beginning to get a little edgy by his body language and voice tone.

Dawn put the book down and moved over to skim the African section before getting the desired book and moving back.

"What is it?" She questioned feeling her anxiety rise.

"Scared, why would he be scared? I'm not scary." Anya ploughed on regardless. "I offered him bliss, wedded bliss, with me for an eternity."

"You're not scary Anya, he was scared of turning into his father and hurting you, bringing your children bad memories." Dawn looked at the demon. "You don't get it do you? The only reason he backed out was cause he loved you so much he was petrified of hurting you for that whole eternity thing."

Giles silently scanned through the books dawn had retrieved for him, flicking through the pages and creasing them to lay open on the table top.

"But that... that's..." Anya began apparently mystified.

"Oh dear lord." Giles flat voice cut through even Anya's stupor.

"What?" Dawn looked down over the books not at all feeling reassured by his tone or words.

Pulling off his glasses Giles pointed to the illustrations on each of the open pages with them tapping each page lightly several times with the metal arm. Dawn waited impatiently for him to clue them into what was wrong.

"I think we may have made a grave error." He pushed a book a little closer to the teenager and Anya who had drawn up along side Dawn.

"What is that?" Dawn pointed to the sketched drawing of a tall dark pole.

"That is the Contoric Staff." Giles replied

"You said that was the Contoric." Dawn pointed to the other drawing where the stick was small enough to be held in someone's hand, where in contrast she doubted the other one was really moveable.

"Its the size of a small tree." Anya frowned and stared at the array contrasting images too.

"Buffy needs a bigger axe." Dawn pointed out her voice a bit squeaky.

"Buffy needs a chainsaw." Anya whispered back with a frown.

Madalene let out a slow breath as they rounded a dark alley and the Slayer pointed to a pair of ajar metal loading doors that seemed to be their invitation into the warehouse.

"This is going to turn out fine right?" Madalene questioned in a tight voice as she straightened out the tails of her tight jacket.

"Piece of cake." Buffy quickly wiped her hands and gripped the axe tighter. "You're the big bad witch and I'm the mindless minion. We go in there get Xander and leave. Its all puppies and popcorn before supper." Buffy paused to think about the sentence. "Not puppies with popcorn." She stressed.

"I was starting to get worried maybe I'd missing something." Madalene laughed tightly showing her nervousness.

"No, I mean thinking logically this Maladic guy knows your big mighty witch. He's not going to want to do anything dumb, though I'm still gonna crack his staff." The Slayer pointed out.

"That's the plan." Madalene nodded reaching up to carefully scratch under her left eye without disturbing the makeup or her contact.

"Okay? You ready?" Buffy gave the spellcaster what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

"I really hope I took drama in high school." She took another breath and changed her body position as she took on the persona that Anya had described to her. "Open the door." She instructed in a firm and condescending voice.

"Ah my honoured guest has arrived, it was so nice of you to return my little minion before it was necessary." A deep disembodied voice called out to them as the minion from the shop scurried out and pulled the doors open wider.

"Well I didn't find a reason to be rude." Madalene stepped through pushing her body into a firm swagger. "Though if my Slayer broke his skull I hope you don't hold it against me."

"Your Slayer?" A low chuckle of laughter rumbled around the room as simultaneously the walls plumed with bright blue light that erupted from mounted torches. The illumination revealed the large warehouse was empty with Xander more or less in the same place looking basically, nothing worse than bored.

"Buffy are you mine?" Madalene asked in a slightly ruffled voice. Her head cocked to one side as she didn't turn to the Slayer but kept her eyes on the dark hooded figure.

"Yours Oh Dark One." Buffy tried to keep her voice a monotone.

"Yo hey Buffy..." Xander perked up in his place, though soon settled again when he caught sight of Madalene or was it Willow? Cause if it was Willow they were in more trouble than he'd bargained for.

"Watch your tone." Madalene turned raising a finger to the Slayer. "You know what happened the last time you mocked me." She licked her lips as she moved over to Xander putting her body between him and Maladic.

"Sorry." Buffy replied more normal, realising her slip.

"And my little carpenter, always getting himself in trouble. I swear you're such a tiresome little toy sometimes." Madalene made sure to catch Xander's eyes praying he'd realize what they were doing at least enough to play along.

"Well yeah, that's me." Xander grinned manically trying to catch Buffy's eye but the Slayer seemed too intent on looking around to pay him any attention. Flicking his eyes back to look at the dark figure before him he caught Madalene's eye before she turned away.

"Allow me to return him to you now." The cloaked figure nodded slightly at Xander who instantly bounced up onto his feet.

"That would be preferable." Madalene turned back to the mage. "You see I like them to keep their free will makes breaking them over and over so much fun but they are mine and I don't like sharing."

"Yeah she no like sharing, big time." Xander stressed still grinning a little too much.

"You honour me Dark One, I have so much I would wish to discuss with you." The cloaked figure seemed to not bother with Xander's prattle or Buffy's apparent obsession for looking around.

"I honour few and punish many." Madalene looked at the Slayer and then back at the totem. She could feel the negative energy pouring off it as if its power to drain magic licked out like flames in a forest fire. Always looking for more, always looking for fuel.

Buffy followed Madalene's eye and then screwed up her face and shook her head moving her hands together symbolising something much smaller.

"You'd be surprised Maladic how hard it is to break a Slayer." Madalene pointed out closing her eyes briefly to feel the area around her. The large totem pole that was sitting a few feet behind Xander was the only thing other than the mage giving off magic in the room. Despite the Slayer's contradiction there were no other options.

"Oh contraire." The Mage shook his head. "I believe it is just another of your impressive talents. Ah I see you sense my staff." There came another low chuckle from the Mage.

"Yes, it has a soothing aching pulse to it." Madalene nodded as she shook her dark hair out, trying not to focus on the new shortness of it.

Moving but not walking, at least there came no footsteps from the figure, Maladic moved closer to the large ebony column.

"Oh yes, like a heartbeat, a thousand heartbeats." The mage cast his gaze up and down the pole for a long moment. "Would you like to touch it?" He asked his voice low. "To feel its pulse?"

Madalene turned to look at him and a truly depraved amused laugh emanated and echoed through the room.

"Oh Maladic, would you think me so foolish?" She tsked at him. "You say I have talent though you tempt me as if I am a rank amateur."

Raising pale, almost skeletal like hands to his hood Maladic chuckled softly as he pulled back the loose dark material to reveal a face as pale as Madalene's, lined with darker, thicker veins that twisted cruelly all over his face almost like a complicated three dimensional tattoo.

"I see for myself you are no amateur." He spoke quietly. "And you cannot blame an old man for trying."

"No more than you can me for seeing the truth." Madalene's voice went deeper.

"I feel that you have judged me wrongly." Maladic glided silently around from beside the staff as he regarded Madalene carefully. Buffy eased herself slowly round closer towards Xander and the staff.

"I come not to take from you, nor to harm you or your minions." Maladic shook his head. "The show of the insects and the snake were just little parlour tricks to prove to you that I was worthy of your attention." He explained.

"Then what is it you come for dear Maladic?" Madalene moved in a lazy saunter to the side in an attempt to distract him from Buffy's movement.

"I come to honour you and to present you with the Contoric Staff." The mage bowed his head slightly.

"You wish to simply give up a power such as this?" She motioned to the totem.

"I am an old, old man and you are a mere child. I have seen this word change over the millennia and have toyed with it in so many ways but I am tired." With his words the mage seemed to grow less and less strong and upright. "I have waited, until the darkness shone again in one, one strong enough to wield the power it offers, one who's soul is as tainted as my own."

"You offer me a gift that is unequalled on this earth." Madalene quantified trying to bury down the nausea the idea raised in her stomach.

"It will grant you power, that not even you dreamed of. And I know your dreams are vast." The old Mage nodded.

"And with this gift, what is it you wish I do for you?" Madalene took a step towards him casually trying to draw him closer. She knew Buffy was going to need a miracle to take the totem down in one slice and with the mage so close that slim chance was made even less. Again a low laugh rumbled out from the man.

"Your acceptance is enough, when you accept I will let my own power be absorbed into the staff, my body will not survive any longer than the transferral." He informed her.

"Then I accept your offer to inherit the staff and know from now on it will be always known as Maladic's staff for all who fall by it to my will." Madalene made a slight bow out with her arms.

"As I knew you would dear dark heart. With the staff you can twist and shape the world to your hand, everything you desire, you can have, you could even bring her back." Maladic dropped his voice low.

The comment took away the spellcaster's moment of relief almost immediately.

"Then I am more in your debt then you know for the only thing this putrid earth could ever offer me of any real worth is her return." Madalene tried to catch her words very carefully as she watched the old mage move back to the staff and place his hands upon it.

"May the darkness inside you remain strong forever." He bowed his head a little.

"And oblivion honour all your deeds." Madalene held her breath as she watched his move.

"Recieve l'alimentazione." The mage uttered the words and a brilliant flash of blue grey light erupted from the staff. Thick dark trails curled up and round the mages body, like roots from a tree all leading up into the main body of the staff before dissipating away to drop the wasted body of the mage to the floor.

As his words whispered through the room Madalene could feel the drain and physically she was forced to step back the edges of it licking out at her even more now as the Contoric consumed the mage's energy.

"Buffy!" Xander motioned with a chopping motion to the still Slayer. He was completely creeped out by what was going on. After all how often did a big bad guy every just give up his prize killing thing? But hey it had happened and he wasn't about to complain.

Buffy made a move to step forward when she saw Maladic energy shift slightly within the roots as it was absorbed.

"Il mondo era una volta bello." His voice whispered as haunted eyes formed within the roots to gaze sightlessly past the Slayer, past Madalene towards the still open doors of the warehouse.

Buffy stood stock still for a long moment just expecting, waiting for something big and bad to happen. She waited and waited and only when nothing had for about a whole minute she looked at Madalene.

"What did he say?" She looked down at the dead mage's cloak.

"B-B-Buffy..." Madalene's voice shook with fear as a font of tears welled in her dark eyes and cascaded onto her cheeks. "Break it, break it now... thousands of screams... thousands of them... make it stop."

"Oh God yeah, right." Buffy jumped into action taking a large swing at the column nearly chopping through half of its width in one swing.

Xander hurried over to Madalene to more or less catch the spellcaster as she pitched forward obviously in acute anguish.

"Could you like hurry up with the chopping Buffy?" He encouraged.

"Look, its a lot bigger than a walking stick." Buffy growled and sent a second and a third chop into the dense staff.

"We're here, we're here to save the day!" Anya came rushing in suddenly the clicking of her heels metering out her quick awkward run as Giles followed behind her brandishing a chainsaw, his hand ready on the pull start to spring it to life.

"The Contoric is not a walking staff it's more like..." Giles looked around breathing hard only to have his eyes fall on the large pole.

"A Grecian pillar." Buffy took a final swing and the column toppled to the ground in two pieces. She dropped the axe and dusted her hands together proudly.

Xander held the distraught spellcaster for a moment assuming as the totem fell that the pain inside her would subside.

"Ah Buffy?" He looked up when nothing within Madalene's taunt body seemed to ease.

"What..." Buffy scanned over to Xander frowning deeply when she took in Madalene's state. "Giles..." She flicked her eyes back to the Watcher.

"Oh yes well." He lowered the chainsaw. "There was an African reference to power conduits such as this only being disabled when damaged to truly destroy them they have to be completely obliterated."

"Giles exactly how are we going to destroy a huge long..." Buffy began but stopped as Madalene screeched the answer

"BURN IT!" Madalene looked up and screamed wordlessly as another wave of eternal torment slid through her body.

"I'm going with burn it." Xander fumbled to try to do something to help as the brunette pitched forward more.

"Of course the perfect solution." Giles nodded to the idea. "Buffy if you will just..." He glanced towards Madalene.

"I hear you and I've got her." The Slayer hurried over and scooped Madalene into her arms to get her further from the source of her anguish. "You get the demon." She winked at Xander as she carried Madalene toward the daylight.

Xander looked over to Anya as he rose up and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Well rescue me then!" The vengeance demon demanded when he didn't immediately do something.

"Right here." Xander swooped over almost feeling more nervous now then he did facing the Mage as he offered her his arm. Anya pushed hers through Xander's and more or less marched him out of the warehouse.

Giles stepped forward and beginning a slow circle of the two parts of the pole and the mage's body he slipped the slim book out of his breast pocket and began a low chant as he walked.

Just a few moments later a rather sooty Giles joined them and it was obvious that within the warehouse the staff was burning brightly down to ash.

Buffy glanced over her shoulder at Giles as she unlocked and pushed open the door to the Magic Box. Anya and Xander had taken Madalene to Anya's apartment to de-dark her, which left just the two of them to wander back into the store. On the way over with the chainsaw Anya and Giles had dropped Dawn off at a friends while Willow and Tara were kept safely within the Box, under both physical and magic lock and key.

"Thanks for the back up." She smiled at her Watcher as her carried in the chainsaw and laid it lightly on the table. Buffy put her axe down along side it.

"I'm sorry that I was ill-timed in my research." He retrieved a handkerchief from the coat he'd left behind and wiped at his glasses.

"Better late than never right." Buffy smiled a little stronger.

"Though an explanation on how you defeated him would explain much of what we came in on." Giles prompted gently.

"We didn't." Buffy shook her head and shivered. "We got things kinda wrong." Without thinking Buffy took several long steps across the shop and stood looking through the door that led into the back room. She looked for a long moment at Willow, who was asleep curled up into Tara's body. The blonde was also sleeping as she gave no sign to the Slayer she'd heard them come back.

"In what way?" The Watcher grew more curious.

"In the Willow way." Buffy continued to look at her sleeping best friend.

"I think I'll need you to qualify that." Giles acknowledged softly seeing the play of emotions across the Slayer's face.

"He didn't want to hurt her Giles." Buffy took a slow breath. "He wanted to pay homage to her, the staff…" She paused glancing at the Watcher. "It was a gift, for her." She looked back at Willow.

"Oh." The surprised noise emanated from the Watcher before his face dropped more. "Oohhh." He dragged out the word again obviously reaching higher levels of understanding. "I knew she was powerful but I had no idea she had achieved that level of innate recognition."

"This isn't about recognition." Buffy snapped irrationally angry. "They're talking about Willow, my best friend, a legendary mage from who knows where seeks out and sacrifices himself and all the evil horrible things he's ever done, to her. What does that make her Giles?" Buffy scowled and stared at the Englishman.

"That makes her a very lucky young woman as she had friends who loved her enough to risk everything to bring her back from that blackness." Giles' voice was sombre.

"Lucky?" Buffy's voice cracked with a sob. "Look at her Giles, curled up asleep like a little child, clinging to Tara like she's some life raft in this huge ocean of life. That's lucky?" Buffy sniffed and let tears roll down her face.

"Buffy listen to me." Giles moved over gracefully reaching to close the door before he reached up to hold her arms lightly at near her shoulders. "I have spent many hours analysing all the moments that I should seen hallmarking what was to come, I above anyone am to blame for every encouraging her in witchcraft but there is no way to change that now. The only thing we can do is support her and Tara for that matter."

"I know and I will." Buffy nodded. "As he died, that mage, Maladic, he said something." She sniffed as her tears subsided a little.

"What did he say?" Giles asked his attentive brain knowing the knowledge might hold some clue.

"Il mondo era una volta bello but its ok, cause I think I've worked out what it means I wasn't asleep for all my classes." Buffy replied swallowing down her tears. Giles blinked more than a little surprised that she was even attempting a translation. "It means something like, my life was beautiful once, doesn't it?" She looked at the Watcher for confirmation and she was rewarded with a slow nod.

With another shudder Buffy pulled herself free of her Watchers grasp and turned again to look at the door.

"What if its her destiny Giles?" She whispered as if the very words themselves could make the unthinkable happen.

"Rubbish." Giles shook his head refusing to believe it was even possible. "I have no idea why Tara has been returned to her Buffy but that alone convinces me that Willow was not meant to go down that path." He shook his head.

"Her life was beautiful once." Buffy continued to whisper.

"I won't allow it." A crackle of emotion bled into the Watcher's usually starchy exterior.

"What if we can't stop it." Buffy said chillingly.

Fade to Black… End of Episode One… Grrr, Argh.


End file.
